The Voyage Implications
by aliciahub
Summary: The progression of the Shamy as a couple when Leonard is away between season 6 and season 7. Several events take place, including an unexpected accident involving Meemaw, and we see how the Shamy can deal with all that. The story is told alternatively from Sheldon and Amy's POV, and guests Disclaimer: I don't own the Big Bang Theory characters, they are the property of CBS.
1. 1: The Departing Digression

_Penny stopped the car on Koothrappali's street. She opened the package Leonard gave her before leaving and put on the heart-shaped locket that was inside. She let her hand linger on it for a few seconds and sighed. She knew that inside was a picture of Leonard yet she did not feel like opening it. She was on the verge of crying when her phone started vibrating._

"Oh, this is from Leonard, he is ready for boarding." In a lower voice she added, "Gosh, how I miss him already."  
Then she turned to me. "Sheldon Sweetie, I have to go check on Raj for a sec, I just wanna make sure he is fine after what happened yesterday. Please wait for me in here, I won't be long."  
"All right, Penny but don't be too long, I have to be home by 7pm, you know tonight is laundry night."

_She headed towards Koothrappali's house. I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was on the edge of crying. I never thought I'd say that, but I understand her feelings. Leonard, her boyfriend, who also happens to be my best friend and roommate, just left for Europe for 4 months. Leonard is going there for a research trip on the North Sea with Stephen Hawking's team. I can't help but feel jealous, yet at the same time I am somewhat very proud of him. Despite my constant teasing, I know he deserves it because he is very good at what he does; even though his field of work is only in Experimental Physics. But overall the thing is I am going to miss Leonard. He is my best friend, my roommate, my main confidant. Four months alone in our apartment is going to be quite an ordeal for me. But I know him, and I am quite sure that he asked Penny to keep an eye on me. And I intend to keep an eye on her too. Now that she and Leonard have definitely grown closer, that trip has arrived at the worst of times for them. Oddly enough, I can understand it now that Amy and I have finally reached a new milestone in our relationship. I cannot even fathom what it would be like for me if Amy were to leave, even for a short period of time._

_I met Amy exactly three years ago, in the weirdest circumstances. Indeed, if I had been told that some day, I would have to thank both a hidden dirty sock and an online dating site (and both Koothrappali and Wolowitz for that matter) for meeting my perfect mate, I would have never believed it. But no matter the circumstances, there is now an Amy Farrah Fowler in my life._

_I cannot explain clearly what happened when we first met, but for some reason it clicked immediately between us, as it had never before with anyone in my whole life. And from that moment on, all the things that I took for granted began to change bit by bit. I had grown accustomed to the idea that there was no one like me in this world. I had never felt the need for female companionship, so I went to that coffee place that day with no expectations at all-the very reason my meeting with Amy was such a shock. Against all odds, after the first few words we exchanged, I felt the need to invite Amy for a drink; I had to know more about her. We talked for hours at that table. Then we exchanged our phone numbers and we kept text messaging each other on our way back home. For the next four months, we emailed, tweeted, and texted. And that is how it all started between us._

_Amy and I share a unique connection. Her intellect is on a par with mine and we were at first equally repulsed by social or physical interactions, which has changed a bit as Amy is getting more and more comfortable in that area. Until now, my relationship with Amy has been moving forward at a pace that I am quite comfortable with- most of the time. But I think it has been a little too slow for Amy. Though, she is constantly waiting for me to be ready for the next move and I am very grateful to her for that. For a long time, I claimed endlessly that Amy was just a girl who is a friend until one day, I realized that I might be losing Amy to another man if I kept on refusing the obvious; the obvious being that I had feelings for Amy and wanted her to be my girl, and no one else's. And from that day on, I have not entirely dismissed the idea of adding a physical aspect in our relationship in the future. Firstly because I know that is what she wants. And secondly, because I am not that sure anymore that I am opposed to the very idea._

"Sheldon! You will never guess what just happened!" Penny was finally back at the car along with Raj. The dark streaks running from her eyes down to her cheeks obviously indicate she had been crying, but at the moment she was the opposite as she sported a grin. She sat behind the wheel, and an emotional Koothrappali sat next to her.*  
"Good evening Rajesh. Penny, if you think I will never guess, it is pointless for me to try, isn't it?" I replied, still distracted by my own thoughts and definitely not in the mood to play games with Penny.  
"Raj can talk to me! With no booze! We have to go back to my place; I sent a message to the girls to meet them there, so we'll see if he can only talk to me or to all of us! I did not tell them why though, so please Sheldon, don't say anything to Amy before she gets to my apartment."  
"I hope it works with all women! But I like the idea that you were the first one, Penny!" Raj said.

_Look at Koothrappali. He has now solved a lifelong issue that has been crippling him in the relationship department. How I wish my own issues could be solved. All I want is to be a normal boyfriend to Amy._


	2. 2: The Bestie Comforting Expedition

Today is an important day for our group of friends: Leonard, whom I consider to be the nucleus of the group, just left for 4 months in Northern Europe for a very important research work. We are all very proud of him, even my boyfriend Sheldon, Leonard's best friend and roommate. I know how hard it is for him to say so. And at the same time, Leonard's absence will probably change many things in our group's dynamic.

First, it will be very difficult for my best friend, Penny. She has been Leonard's girlfriend for a long time now, and lately they finally found the right balance in their relationship. Four months apart is a big test for them at this stage, and I am not quite sure Penny is ready for that, now that she has finally sorted out how she really felt for him.

Now, I find myself on my way to Penny's apartment. She sent a text message, asking me to come over to her place as soon as possible. Penny and Sheldon drove Leonard to the airport earlier, and I bet it was very emotional for both Leonard and Penny making me think she probably needs me and Bernadette to try to take her mind off of the sting.

As far as Sheldon is concerned, I have no idea how he will react to Leonard's absence, and I have to admit it worries me. He has never been comfortable with changes. He and Leonard have been sharing an apartment for ten years now, and Sheldon relied a lot on Leonard, more than he probably realizes himself. Anyway, no matter how he might react, I will be there for him as well. After all, that is what a girlfriend is for- if he lets me, that is. Usually, we communicate on a daily basis, but I haven't heard from him since Leonard's goodbye party yesterday. He must be trying to deal with this situation on his own, not willing to show his real feelings, even to me; and it hurts me that he doesn't trust me enough to confide to me.

Being a neurobiologist has given me a few perks. One of them is me having a few keys into Sheldon's brain. Sheldon is a very self-centered person and I have to compromise a lot in this relationship. But it is part of who he is; he is brilliant and has the dissymmetry in his brain that goes with it. I have to take it or leave it. Actually, to me, the most difficult aspect to deal with in Sheldon's personality is his aloofness; displays of affection don't come naturally to him. For instance, we have known each other for three years now, and so far we have only shared two hugs, one cuddling and two kisses-including one I don't even remember. Up to two weeks ago, Sheldon never seemed to want to change that aspect of our relationship, making me question what he truly wanted in our relationship. Until he finally found his own way to let me know how he actually felt about me.

As I stood in front of the apartment building, I waited for Bernadette who was parking her car. On our way to Penny's apartment, we talk about how difficult this will be for Penny. Bernadette tells me how tough it had been for her last year when Howard went to space.

Reaching the fourth floor landing, I cannot help but stare at Sheldon's door. I had the urge to go in there and check on him. But since he did not ask me to come, I won't, no matter how tempted I am. Bernadette knocks on Penny's door. And what a surprise it is having Rajesh opening the door, a plastic bottle of water in his hand.

"Oh, hello ladies! Come on in!"

**Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate it. So here we are: this story will be told through both Sheldon and Amy's POV, alternatively. The idea behind that is to outline the similarities and differences in the way they consider their relationship. I will try never to be redundant in the description though. I hope you will enjoy reading it.**


	3. 3: The Involvement Demonstration

_Penny, Koothrappali and I got back to 2311 Los Robles together. Penny invited me to go to her place with them, but I turned it down. Penny crying over Leonard's departure, Koothrappali crying over his failed love life…. No, thank you! Plus I have my laundry to do. Bernadette and Amy arrived about 30 minutes ago. I heard them knocking on Penny's door before I left for the laundry room. I thought Amy would come by before going to Penny's, like she sometimes does. But she did not. _

_When Amy and I became girlfriend and boyfriend, I had no notion of what it really meant. I tried to convince myself that nothing would change; that's the first thing I told Amy, and I even drew a relationship agreement for that purpose. But some things have definitely been changing. First, my feelings for Amy have been growing ever since she became my girlfriend…that vixen!I guess there is not much I can do about it. I told her once that thanks to her, I know the kind of man I want to be; and I meant it. I want to be the kind of man that deserves having someone like Amy as his , I tried to understand what Amy did expect from me; but I have to admit that I am not very good at reading between the lines. So I asked Leonard and Penny to help me understand what the duties of a boyfriend were. I may not be boyfriend material by nature, but I really try. _

_I am having dinner now. On my way back from the basement, I heard Raj's voice coming from Penny's apartment. They have been in there for over two hours now. I wonder what they are talking about. I could probably just go in there as it is not technically a girls night, but I am not in the mood to see them all. I just want to see Amy. I don't understand why she did not come to see me. I wish she were with me now._

_Two weeks ago, Amy and I were playing Dungeons and Dragons with our friends, when suddenly a love spell was cast on our first, I did not understand what was going on. Then I looked at Amy and she obviously was taking it really bad. She got up and ran to my bedroom, with tears in her eyes.I did not know what to do, but Penny and Bernadette insisted that I should go in there and talk to her. As I entered the room, Amy was sitting on my bed. I tried to cheer her up but it did not work. Our friends' teasing had made her question the meaning of our relationship and my true feelings towards her. She asked me if I thought we'd ever get physical in the future. I told her the truth: that she was the first one I had ever considered getting physical with someday and that our relationship was already very intimate by my standards. It did not entirely cheer her up. I felt bad not being able to make her feel better. And then I remembered that we were under a love spell.I described the imaginary setting for our two characters' carnal encounter and waited for her approval to go look at that moment touched me deep inside; she played the game, and we shared the most intimate moment ever._

_I was both happy and relieved that I could find a comfortable way to communicate with her and express my desires. I loved the simple yet direct communication between us. And now she knows the special place she occupies in my life, my heart and my head._

_It is over 10pm now. I just sent a text to Amy. I hope she comes soon._

**Thanks again for the nice reviews! Sorry for my English, I try my best but it is not my first language. I hope you enjoy reading it anyways.**


	4. 4: The Demonstration Understanding

_So actually Penny did not ask us to come in order to comfort her. She texted us because after many years of selective mutism, Rajesh can finally talk to women, without drinking alcohol. And the least we can say about it is that he is catching up!Since we arrived, he has been talking nonstop about his life: his childhood, his parents, his love life…. I like Rajesh and he went through many things lately on the emotional level, but I can't focus on what he is saying. I can't help thinking about my boyfriend all alone in the apartment next door.I know that he has finished his laundry and that he is back home now, as I heard his door slam some time ago. Why doesn't he come here to be with his friends? After all, he knows we are all here and Penny mentioned she told him to come after his laundry._

"….And I am very happy to be able to talk in front of you girls, because you are like family to me…." _Rajesh went on and on…. Two hours already…. Oh, my phone is beeping. Text message from ….. Sheldon!_

_"__Good evening Amy. I know you are at Penny's. When you are finished there, and if you feel like it, I wouldn't mind if you did not go home directly. Sheldon"_

_That, in Sheldon's language, means he wants to see me. I reply that I will come as soon as possible._

_After what happened during the Dungeons and Dragons' private session, I am sure of his feelings for me. He told me his own way. He made me understand it by using a die and a book. That was all it took. And he voluntarily made an erotic moment between the two of us out of a fantasy role-playing game. I could not believe it: Sheldon Cooper, PhD took advantage of a love spellheavy-handedly initiated by our friends to reassure me on our intimacy, as pure as it may have remained, filled me with happiness. Now I know that he cares about me and that he probably desires me as much as I desire him. But I am aware of his internal struggles, so despite my own frustrations, I don't want to rush him into anything. It may not be easy every day, but I don't want to go too fast and risk losing him on the way. Because no matter the pace now, we are definitely walking in the same direction. _

_"__Raj, sweetie, you look exhausted. Maybe you should go to sleep now. It has been a long day for all of us. Now that you can talk to us with no booze, we can keep talking tomorrow, after a good night's rest." Penny finally managed to interrupt him. She probably can tell by our looks that both Bernadette and I are glad. Bernadette already received several text messages from Howard who is back from his evening at his mother's. And I know there is a handsome theoretical scientist not far away from this apartment who has been waiting for me as well. _

"Alright Ladies, thanks for listening to me. I am going now, you are right Penny, I am exhausted. Good night!" And he goes out of the apartment, followed by Bernadette. "Bye Penny, I call you in the morning! Amy, are you coming?"

"No, just go ahead, I have something to tell Penny, don't wait for me. Goodnight! "

"Alrighty then, goodnight!" and they left.

"Amy, what's up? What do you have to tell me? " Penny asked as she sat on the couch.

"How are you doing? I can tell that you have been crying. Are you all right ?"

« No biggie, it's just that he only left a few hours ago and I miss him so much already! But I'll be alright, I know I will talk to him tomorrow, I'll feel better then."

"Fine, I will leave now. Sleep well bestie! And you know you can always call me if you need anything."

"Amy… Did you hear from Sheldon? With Raj talking and all, I did not have the opportunity to talk to him since we came back from the airport. He simply said he had to do his laundry and left… I hope he is fine. But we both know he is going to miss Leonard as well."

"Actually I received a message from him not long ago, he is waiting for me now. I'd better go check on him. Like you said, I think it won't be easy for him".

Penny smiled softly "Okay sweetie, take good care of him. Let's chat tomorrow."

_And then I left and headed towards 4A._

**A little cliffhanger here. But it won't be too long before I post the next chapter. Thanks again for reading;**


	5. 5: The Chamomile Convergence

_It was just before 11pm when I heard her knocking softly on the door. _

"Come in" I said. I was working on my board, in the middle of the living room. "Good evening Amy"

"Good evening Sheldon! " She said cheerfully "Sorry it took me so long, but when Rajesh starts talking, he clearly has lots of things to say." She paused "I was afraid you might have gone to bed already."

"That's fine; I was working on that gyrokinetic turbulence equation. Well, I was trying to, because for some reason I get stuck" I recapped my marker, placed it down and turned towards Amy "Do you want some herbal tea?" Amy nodded "chamomile as usual?" I asked, walking to the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you. I drank three glasses of wine at Penny's, I think it would not be a bad idea for me to sit down a little and drink some chamomile before I head back home." She put her bag on a chair and sat down at the kitchen island. "When do you have to submit your grant proposal?"

"The deadline is in two months. " I told her while putting the tea bags in the mugs. "We lost some time trying to derive it through the wrong equation and it was a dead end. We have to start all over again, and we can't seem to find the right theory to derive it through."

"I am sure you will find the solution Sheldon, it is just a matter of time." She said, looking at me in the eyes with such a supportive smile. I smiled back while sitting down in front of her. She was always there to comfort me. She went on "So, did you hear from Leonard since you and Penny dropped him at the airport?"

"No. I mean, Penny told me she got a message that he was ready to board, but I haven't been directly in touch with him."

"How do you feel tonight? It must feel peculiar for you not having him around." Amy asked, in a very soft voice.

« I'm fine. He used to spend lots of time at Penny's anyways. » I drank a sip of my chamomile tea. I was reluctant to express what I really felt, but I wanted to be sincere with Amy. "But I have to admit, Amy, that it does feel odd knowing he won't be back before next September. "

"Well, that's natural Sheldon. Leonard is your best friend, the two of you have shared an apartment for ten years now and as far as I know, you have never been apart for more than two weeks in a row. You will need time to adjust to this situation. But you know you can count on your friends… and you have me" she said the last part almost whispering, and looking down at her mug.

"Yes, I do have you." I said, grasping her hand gently. She lifted her head and stared at me, obviously surprised. I looked back into her deep green eyes. I had been moved by her words, and reached for her hand without even realizing it. But now that my hand was on hers, I did not mind. Actually, I liked it. We stood still for a long moment. Then I broke the silence and let go of her hand "So what about the big news about Raj, could he also talk to you while sober or did he have to drink alcohol?"

"He could talk to the three of us without alcohol." She sat up straight "Rajesh truly is a fascinating case for a neuroscientist. For his whole life, he had never been able to talk to women. And then out of the blue, he can talk to Penny. He still has to go out and check if he can talk to women he does not know, but well, at least, he can talk to his friends' girlfriends and wives" She paused as she brought her mug to her mouth. "I would really like to know if he managed to heal from his selective mutism because of the shock of yet another break up and the fear of ending up alone, or because he really loved Lucy. It could also come from the fact that he focused on Lucy's pathology and as he tried to find ways for her to overcome her issues, he subconsciously found ways to overcome his own pathology. I will talk about it with some colleagues from the neuroscience department to know their insights on the subject."

_I listened to her very carefully as she was talking about Koothrappali's miraculous healing. I love it when she analyzes things like the brilliant neurobiologist she is. I could listen to her for hours. She is so intelligent and so passionate about her work. For some reason, I have never attended a conference on neuroscience or biology with her, whether she was a speaker or not. She came to physics lectures with me on several occasions, but I never reciprocated. I definitely have to go once. It would be nice sharing something different with her._

She carried on about Rajesh "Anyways, you should have seen him, he was so proud telling us about his big news. And Penny was very proud too. She was bragging on the fact that she was the first unrelated woman he ever talked to without being drunk. The good thing is that for some time it diverted her attention from Leonard's departure and his from his break up with Lucy." She had finished her chamomile tea by now. "Alright, Sheldon, I should go now. Thanks for having me here that late."

"Thanks for coming. Are you sure you can drive now? I guess you could sleep in Leonard's room if you did not feel like driving tonight"

"No, thanks, I'm fine now. But I need to use your bathroom if you don't mind."

"Yes, of course, you know where it is."

A moment later, she came back to the living room, grabbed her bag and made her way to the door. I was standing by my board. I hesitated and said "Amy, please, before you leave…."

"Yes Sheldon?" She said, with her hand on the doorknob.

I walked towards her "Well, there is something I have been willing to tell you for quite some time now…."

"Yes, what is it Sheldon?" She looked puzzled.

"Amy, I would like to talk to you about something. It has to deal with …." I tried to avoid looking at her in the eyes "what happened between us that evening a few weeks ago, on the night of the Dungeons and Dragons game…."

« Hmm, yes Sheldon, what about it? » She frowned

"On that evening, we … moved our relationship to a new level… well, actually that is how I see it."

"I agree…" she said, obviously trying to figure out where I was going and encouraging me to go on.

"And I really liked it. Like I said then, I think our relationship is very intimate, and even more after that night. I really feel comfortable with you Amy"

Amy nodded.

I went on "You know I do have issues with physical contacts. It has nothing to do with you, it is just that I have always been uncomfortable with touching anyone and … "

"Yes I know about that, Sheldon, that is called haptophobia, and it is actually quite common…"

I cut her off "Well, for quite some time now, I have been trying to overcome it. I read books, I went on forums on the internet, I tried to find a way for it not to be a problem anymore. But it is not easy Amy. I don't think I can do it by myself"

"You know Sheldon, as much as I'd like things to become physical between us, if you cannot overcome this haptophobia, that's okay for me. I am already very satisfied with our relationship as it is. I will never leave you no matter what."

I really appreciated her last sentence, I knew she meant it and it showed all the respect between us. I tried to fight the tears in my eyes "Actually, that is not what I meant. "I cleared my throat to get to the point "after our game that evening, I thought, well, that maybe it would be more effective if we worked on it together, the two of us together."

She stared at me "I am listening, Sheldon, what do you mean exactly? How do you want to proceed?"


	6. 6: The Conditioning Experiment Postulate

Sheldon kept on explaining his idea to me "Amy, what I mean is that I would really like to be comfortable with engaging in physical contacts with you and that I'd like it to come naturally to me. You know, like tonight, when I grabbed your hand. It was not planned, it just happened; we were talking about Leonard's departure, you told me that you were there for me and all I know is that my hand ended up on yours. And I liked it."

"So did I, Sheldon."

"That is the girlfriend talking. " He smiled softly "But could the neurobiologist explain to me why I did that?" He was staring at me, apparently waiting for my answer.

"Well, probably at that moment, you felt like you needed to be reassured, not only by my words, but you needed something more. In your subconscious, the notion of holding hands with me is probably associated with comfort. That is why when you were looking unconsciously for some comfort, your hand grabbed mine." I said in a professional tone of voice that surprised me considering the circumstance.

"That's exactly what I mean. " He said enthusiastically. His eyes sparkled "My subconscious knew it because we had already held hands several times in the past and it kept the memory of how I felt then. So my postulate is that for any physical contact to come naturally to me, it has to be conditioned first. And I would like you to help me with it, both as my girlfriend and as an expert in neuroscience."

"Okay, hold on, just so I understand correctly what you are saying, let me rephrase it: you want me to initiate physical contacts with you casually at moments I consider proper, as often as I feel like it; the idea being that at some point, you will get used to these contacts and might even initiate it yourself in the same context.

"Exactly." He nodded.

_I did not expect that. He really thought that through. And I had to agree with him: brain conditioning through behavioral therapy seemed a very appropriate way to confront a phobia for a person of habits like him. It reminded me that last year I had devised a somewhat comparable experiment that increased his feelings for me in an accelerated time frame; I had used his childhood memories to condition new ones that included me. But this time it was different, it was his move, and he wanted me involved in the process._

"Of course, I'd like to proceed at a comfortable pace." He said after a pause "but I trust you, you will find the perfect sequence of events and the perfect pace." He smiled shyly.

"Sheldon, I like this idea, and I think it could work but are you sure that is what **you** want? Once again, I don't want you to feel pressured in any way…. I mean, if you do that because of what I said that night, don't; I've discovered with our Dungeons & Dragons game that there were different ways to be intimate and if touching is a problem for you… "

He interrupted me "Amy, I am not saying it will be easy, and that all of a sudden I will overcome all of my issues. I am just saying that I am willing to try, because you are important for me, and I'd like to be able to share everything with you." He said his eyes in mine "But you have to be aware that it may take time, if it works at all…" I could see uncertainty in his eyes.

_I smiled to make him feel better. His sincerity was catching._

"Also, Amy, I don't think it is necessary to write all that down in the relation agreement. I mean, let's see how things work without writing it down. And maybe it would be better to keep it for ourselves, at least at the beginning."

_I nodded. I told him I agreed on everything. Of course, deep inside, I did not only agree on it, I was delighted by his proposition. But I kept it to myself. We told each other good night and as he opened the door to let me out, I turned my head toward him and kissed him on the cheek. And I left._

_On my way back home, I tried not to think about the events of the evening in order not to be too distracted. I turned on the radio and sang along loudly as I drove; it prevented me from thinking._

_ But as I got home, I flopped into the couch and started to think it over. The Sheldon I saw tonight was the same as two weeks ago during the love spell. Not as self assured as he usually is, but very sincere and straightforward. The D&D game had initiated that kind of communication between us, and I am so glad that tonight it went on that way. Also, that love spell had been an eye opener for me about his feelings for me, but I discovered tonight it had been one for him as well. Tonight, he admitted that I was important for him and that he wanted to be able to share everything with me. I cannot believe I heard him say that, it was the first time he spoke that openly about his feelings for me. And his beguiling blue eyes as he spoke… Damn, the effect he has on me…_

_Tonight, so many things happened. First, Sheldon asked me to come by because he needed to see me. Then as I tried to comfort him, he grabbed my hand and acknowledged later that he did it naturally. And last but not least, he talked to me about the conditioning experiment he had been thinking about for some time. I had noticed that he had been acting quite strangely for the whole time I was there, but I thought it was just because of Leonard's departure. And then just as I was about to leave, I understood what had really been troubling him. _

_Another important detail that Sheldon mentioned tonight: he did not want to update the Relationship Agreement with details on the experiment. I like it when he leaves his comfort zone a little. He even actually entered my own zone of comfort when he suggested that neuroscience could be the answer to his issues. It proves he trusts me. Or maybe it is just that he is so dubious about the whole undertaking that he does not want to bother changing the Agreement… No, it can't be that, it has to be that he trusts me! We both have to think positive about it; it is one of the keys to success._

_And he wants us to keep it a secret, at least to begin with. I was not going to say anything anyways. I love the idea that it will be something between him and me only. But it will be tough to keep it a secret from Penny. Firstly, she knows I was at Sheldon's tonight, so she will definitely ask me for more details about it. Secondly, she is very good at reading people and both Sheldon and I are terrible at hiding things. And thirdly, she lives next to Sheldon's and will probably see us together a lot. She won't be entirely herself for a few days at least because of Leonard's departure, so she may not be as perceptive as she usually is. Well, at least if we could start the process and see how it goes before she understands, that would be fine._

_As I get up from the couch and head towards the bathroom, I wonder if this whole idea will work. I mean, I truly believe it is the right kind of therapy for him. And the most important factor before undertaking such a therapy is that the patient is the one initiating the process. Also, if the phobia involves another person, including that person in the process increases the probability of success of the whole therapy. So we have a solid foundation on which to build. But we could fail. Or it could also succeed more easily than what we expect. It all depends on the nature of his pathology. As I thought about it, I could not help thinking about Schrödinger and his cat. Well, I guess it's time to open the box and check if the cat is alive. _

_I went to bed. It was around 1am. My last thought was for the kiss I gave him on the cheek. I sighed at the thought and fell asleep._

**A/N: First of all thanks for reading this story. I hope you appreciate it. I am not a brain expert nor a physics genius like Amy or Sheldon, so I'm sorry if I don't use the accurate terms when I talk as them. But I hope I keep them enough in character for it to be believable. Please leave a review to tell me your thoughts.**


	7. 7: The Enthalpy Transfer Initiation

"Hey Leonard! How are you buddy?"

"Hey Raj! Hey guys! I'm fine thanks. What about you?" Leonard replied onscreen.

"Fine. Très bien mon ami! Are you still in France?" Wolowitz asked.

"Yes, we left Paris two days ago, and now we are in a port in the North of France, called Dunkerque. We are leaving tomorrow morning for three months at sea. I am so excited!"

"What time is it for you? I hope we are not keeping you awake late"

"Over 10pm, but that's fine, I haven't adjusted to jet lag yet. Don't worry Raj."

"How has it been so far?" Wolowitz went on. "Do you get along with Hawking's team?"

"Yes. Everything is going well. I can't believe how lucky I am to be part of this adventure! I will never be able to thank you enough for this opportunity, Howard!"

"No need Dude, glad I could help you. Plus I owed you. After all, Penny and you introduced me to my lovely wife! Let's call it even."

"Leonard, have you been given your assignments yet?" I finally took part in the discussion.

"Yes, Sheldon, we've had staff meetings every day since I arrived, plus several Visio conferences with Hawking. He is truly impressive to work with."Leonard said, very excited. I could not help but feel very jealous at that second but tried my best to hide it. "We have checked and prepared the instruments today. Everything is ready. I am not allowed to say much about the experiments unfortunately, sorry guys!"

"We miss you here buddy! " Raj added.

"And I miss you." he said " By the way Raj, Penny told me that you can talk to women now! That's awesome, dude! You must be very happy about it!"

"I am. It makes things easier when we are all together with the girls. I don't have to drink anymore, I can be myself. And I managed to call Lucy to have a talk with her. That was less awkward than usual." Wolowitz and I looked at each other, surprised; Raj had not said anything about that talk to neither of us apparently.

"That's great Raj. I hope you can sort things out with her." Leonard told Rajesh, who seemed to be on the verge of crying. Leonard finally said, after a minute of uncomfortable silence "Guys, I have to go now, I have to get up early tomorrow. But before I hang up, Sheldon, I wanted to thank you. Penny told me the two of you spent quite some time together, and that you were very nice to her. I really appreciate it, it means a lot to me." I was taken aback by Leonard's words. All I could do was nod "Okay, bye guys, I'll talk to you again when I'm at sea."

"Bye Leonard" the three of us said.

Koothrappali and Wolowitz left my office after a quick chat about our plans for Vintage game night tomorrow and we all went back to work. I cannot believe Leonard has already been away for five days!

_Indeed, Penny and I spent quite some time together since Leonard left. Especially on Sunday morning, the morning after Leonard left; she came by as I was baking pancakes, and I invited her to join me. She obviously needed to talk, so we talked about Leonard, about Rajesh and about the evening at her apartment the day before. She told me she was a bit sad I did not go and meet them after my laundry was done. I told her I had the feeling Rajesh would probably need the help of the girls about his love life and I was pretty sure I would feel awkward there. She thought for a minute and seemed to accept my excuse. Then she changed the subject and tried to question me about Amy. She quickly realized I would say nothing on the matter, so she simply said she was there for me if I needed her, as she liked the two of us very much. I said I knew and thanked her. Then she left for work. I saw her again every day, for a cup of tea or dinner with the gang. She also surprisingly came with us to new comic books night yesterday and bought a few comics for Leonard._

_On Sunday afternoon, I went to visit Arthur Jeffries, aka Professor Proton, my childhood hero, at his home in Glendale. I had not seen him for weeks and thought I would just check on him. So I called him to make sure I could go and visit and called a taxi. He looked much better than the last time I saw him, at the hospital. He seemed glad to see me, as he told me he hadn't received any visitors since he came back. I stayed with him a couple of hours then went back home to work a bit. Amy and I had dinner together through skype. It was a very enjoyable evening. We had fun remembering Professor Proton's tv show and experiments as she also was a fan as a kid. Maybe we can go and visit him together next time. I'll ask Arthur if he is okay._

It is 2pm now, I am waiting for Kripke, as we are supposed to meet here in my office.

"Hello Cooper!" Kripke arrived right on time

"Hi Barry, come in! We have lots of work to do this afternoon and I have to leave early so we'd better start right now"

"Going out with the girlfriend, tonight? I bet you will have sex like beasts again! You lucky bastard! "

"Yes, I am, yes I will and yes I am! Okay, Barry, now let's focus on work." And then I exposed a new theory I had been thinking about all morning;

_For the past few months, I have spent lots of time with Kripke, as we have been forced to work together on a grant proposal for a new fusion reactor. And I have to admit this association has been more interesting than what I would have thought at first. Surprisingly, despite all of his drawbacks and personality quirks, Kripke is not that bad in his field: plasma physics. Unfortunately, we have lost quite some time working in the wrong direction. Now we have to work even harder in order to submit something as complete as possible before the deadline in two months. We have spent the whole Monday and part of Tuesday on a new lead. Let's hope we chose the right approach this time. _

_When Kripke heard that Leonard was going away for a few months, he volunteered to drive me to work and take me home every day. It does make sense as my apartment is on his way to Caltech and we spent lots of time working together. But still, I was surprised and delighted by his offer as it was very convenient._

_This afternoon, we worked for a few hours but ended up with more questions than solutions. Barry said he would let me have fun tonight, and "give it to her good". He said that he would work on his own tonight and that we could check it all together tomorrow. He dropped me at home around 6pm. I had one hour before Amy arrived for our date night._

_I was very relieved last Saturday when I could finally talk to her about my idea to address my phobia; and even more when she accepted to give it a try. I had been working on my issues for over a year when I realized on the D&D night that it was not as effective as I had hoped. Then I remembered what Amy told me once; according to some studies, people with high intelligence have more problems handling emotions because they tend to overthink everything. So it occurred to me that maybe the best way for me to overcome my reluctance to physical contact was to use behavioral conditioning: a brain conditioned does not overthink, it just transmits reactions to stimuli as it has been programmed to. And after our game together that night, it was clear that Amy had to be involved in the process; after all she knows brains in general, and she is probably the person that knows me best. And her support will be important for me. It has been for so many things these past three years._

_Amy and I haven't spent much time together since last Saturday. Of course, we kept in touch through a few skype sessions, text messages and phone calls but as we both had to focus on our work this week, we only saw each other on Tuesday night at the Cheesecake Factory. Everyone was there so we hardly spoke to each other, and then Amy went home with Bernadette while I went back with tonight, Amy told me she would like to spend our date night here. I wonder why. Maybe she wants to take advantage of a tête-à-tête to further our experiment. I liked it how she initiated it subtly last Saturday: as she left, she kissed me on the cheek: I did not see it coming, and yet I could still feel her lips on my cheek for quite some time after she left. And surprisingly, I liked it. I had never wanted to initiate kisses because I thought it was just hippy-dippy things, and yet I thought that kiss was quite enjoyable. I would not mind if she decided to do it again tonight._

Then I heard her knock on the door.

"Come in Amy!"

She opened the door and got in.

"Good evening!" I said, sitting on my spot on the couch. I got up to help her with the door and the bags she was carrying.

"Good evening Sheldon! I bought a pizza for tonight, your favorite, and some Ben and Jerry's ice cream: Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Vanilla. I hope you like it." She said as she walked to the freezer.

"I do. Good choices! Amy, I was surprised when you proposed to stay here tonight. I like the idea but I know you usually prefer to go out for our date night." I sat at the counter and invited her to join me.

"Well, Sheldon, I thought it would be nice spending some time, just the two of us, at either your place or mine. Especially after such a hectic week." She said, sitting down in front of me "And there is more: what would you think about playing one of your video games after dinner?"

I was skeptical "Really? Are you sure Amy? I thought you didn't like it, you never want to play when we are all here together."

"Actually, I don't know how to play any games, and you and the guys always play very complicated war games or civilization building games…that's just too complicated for a beginner." She said while cutting the pizza into slices. Then she stared at me with a soft smile"But if you choose a game I might like, if you are okay with teaching me how to play and if you are very patient with me, I'm willing to give it a try."

I smiled back at her. "Alright, I think I know what I'll choose. It's going to be fun, you'll see" I said. I was delighted that she finally accepted to play a videogame with me.

"So how was your day today, Sheldon? Any breakthrough for your fusion reactor project?"

_I told her about our chat with Leonard, then my working day with Kripke. She told me about her new project that is starting next week. It is a study involving people with an IQ higher than 160. Amy and two colleagues would have to select twenty to thirty of them from different backgrounds and analyze their reactions to several stimuli. She was not sure yet what would be the main focus of the study; she was currently investigating past studies in order to find an unexplored topic. But she had been allocatedenough funds to work on this project for a year, and she was very excited about it._

_We finished our pizza. Then we moved to the living room. It was time for the game._


	8. 8: The Italian Plumber Resurgence

_After we finished dinner, we both sat on the couch. So far, the evening had gone very smoothly. It was really nice being there with Sheldon, both relaxed and comfortable, after such a busy week. We kept on talking about everything and nothing for at least a half hour then Sheldon got up and asked me to wait for him. He walked to his bedroom and came back a few minutes later with a big black dropped it off on the coffee table and from it, retrieved a small grey box with Nintendo Entertainment System written on it._

"This is my very first game console, offered by my Meemaw on my seventh birthday." He said proudly "I rarely play on it anymore, but I thought it would be perfect for tonight". He connected it up to the tv and put a sort of floppy disk in it. Once everything was all set up, he sat back on his spot, and handed me a video game controller. He kept one for himself, clicked on a button and suddenly, a familiar music started playing!

Sheldon turned towards me, a smile on his face "Amy, I believe you remember Super Mario Bros theme song?"

I smiled back. A year ago, I had used this theme from his favorite video game as a kid for my conditioning experiment; we had had dinner with that music playing in the background.

He clicked again. The quality of the image was obviously quite bad compared to the quality of the video games Sheldon usually plays with the guys, but it was clear enough for me to recognize the character appearing onscreen, with a red hat, a red overall and a blue shirt.

"And now, Amy, please meet Mario the plumber!" His eyes sparkled as he said so. "When you said you never played any video game, I just thought that would be nice if you started with my favorite game ever, which also happens to be the first one I ever played. I have spent so many enjoyable hours playing that game! "

I did not expect that. That was a nice touch by Sheldon. And kind of romantic, even though I was not sure he did that on purpose, but who knows, he can be very surprising sometimes."That is a very good idea Sheldon!" I turned towards him, put my hand on his arms, leant a little and kissed him on the cheek. I think he blushed a little. "So now please tell me, what are the rules?"

"No, no, no, not yet. First things first. Let's start with a little story." He said, as the theme song kept playing. "Super Mario Bros is a game created in 1985 by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, for the brand Nintendo. Our friend Mario here has a brother called Luigi, that was created for the two players option. They both are plumbers. Mario is in love with Princess Toadstool, later known as Princess Peach. But villain Bowser, king of the Koopas, kidnapped her to marry her. The game is Mario and Luigi's quest to find the princess and rescue her through all eight stages of the Mushroom Kingdom." He looked at me straight in the eyes while telling the story. He went on "I will play as Mario, and you will be Luigi. Each of us will play, but not at the same time. We have to walk through the kingdom trying to avoid hurdles and fight Bowser's army. I will start; watch me carefully as I will explain to you how to play." He sat closer to me, our knees almost touching. He took my controller from my hands and showed it to me "Here are the arrows with which you can move. Here is the jump button, and this one is the fire button. Pay attention as I play, and you will be fine." He gave it back to me.

"Let's start now." He clicked on the start button of his own controller. Onscreen, it said world 1-1. Then Mario appeared on the left of the screen. Sheldon pushed on the right arrow of the controller to make him walk to the right of the screen, and then jumped, hit bricks... It was a bit difficult to assimilate everything but I tried to follow both onscreen and on his controller. Fortunately, Sheldon was very patient and explained everything to me very slowly, sometimes pausing the game to show me which buttons had to be used. I paid much attention to all the things he said, I did not want to appear ridiculous when it would be my turn, after all his efforts.

In world 1.2 he confronted turtles, angry mushrooms and carnivorous flowers. As he reached the end of that stage, he let himself be killed so I could play sooner. That in itself was quite surprising and considerate from Sheldon, but of course I did not say anything. So it was my turn now. I sat on the edge of the couch. Sheldon drew closer to me. A new character appeared, probably the previously mentioned Luigi. I took the controller in my hands. At first, Sheldon put his hands on mine to help me push on the right button. He did not even seem to notice it as he was focused on the screen, but I did notice and enjoyed the soft touch of his hands on mine. Then after a moment, he probably considered it was time to let me play by myself, and he sat back on his spot, laying against the back of the couch.I managed to remember all the pieces of advice that he gave me, avoiding the mushrooms, reaching for coins and hitting the question marks, and I reached the end of the stage without being killed. I was very proud of myself and looked at Sheldon, grinning. He smiled back, looking both impressed and proud.

We played for over an hour. I died a couple of times in world 1.2 but then after several more attempts I managed to go up to world 4.2, which is half way in the game, Sheldon told me. We had so much fun. Sheldon seemed genuinely impressed with my results, and so was I, as a matter of fact.

When "game over" appeared on screen once more, I said "Sheldon, I think I'd better go now, it is very late, I have a long day coming tomorrow."

He sat back on the edge of the couch. He looked a bit disappointed, but he nodded "You are right, so have I." he stared at me "So Amy, what do you think about Super Mario Bros.? Fun, isn't it?" he said with a smile.

"I have to say Sheldon, I did not know I would enjoy playing that much, but really liked it. And you were so patient with me; you are the best teacher ever, thanks so much!"

He seemed pleased "That's great! I am so glad you liked it! You played very well. Maybe, if you feel like it, we can try playing other video games together some other time?"

"Definitely, I'd love that. But it must not be much fun for you, I am so slow, and you have to explain everything."

"What are you saying? It was fun for me watching you, and I love that we love the same game!" I could say he was telling the truth by the look in his eyes.

"One more thing we share." I said in a whisper. I hesitated for a minute, because I did not want to spoil it all by pushing him too far tonight. But I remembered he was the one initiating the experiment, he had asked me to provoke physical contacts when I felt it was I plucked the courage to tell him: "Before I go Sheldon, I thought maybe….. you could kiss me on thelips. "I could not hold his gaze anymore, so I looked down at my knees "after all, I reached world 4.2, which is quite an achievement for a beginner..." I looked back at him to check for his reaction.

For a second, he looked surprised but then he pulled himself together and said with a confident voice "You are right, you did great, you do deserve a reward."

He came closer to me; he put one hand on my shoulder and the other one on my forearm. And leaning forward he brushed his lips across mine. I felt my lips shivering beneath his. It was so sweet and tender. I pulled away first to check for his reaction; gazing at me he simply said "Fascinating!" I took it as an invitation to kiss him back. I put my arms on his shoulders, and kissed him as smoothly as he had seconds before. I closed my eyes to make the most of that moment. He slowly placed his hands on my waist, which both surprised me and delighted me. Then suddenly we heard a phone ringing. We parted abruptly, still staring at each other though. It took me a few seconds to realize it came from my phone. Penny's name appeared onscreen. I looked at him, apologetic, and picked it up.

"Allo Penny?" I said clearing my throat.

An unknown female voice answered "No, actually, it is not Penny, my name is Kelly, I work with Penny at the Cheesecake factory. I'd like to talk to Amy Farrah Fowler please."

"I am Amy Farrah Fowler. What's going on? Is Penny alright?" I replied, anxious about her answer. Sheldon was still sitting next to me, obviously wondering what was going on as well and giving me an inquiring look.

"Well, Penny had a few drinks after she finished her shift and I think she is in no condition to drive right now. She is here next to me. She gave me your name before falling asleep. Could you come and pick her up, please? "

"Oh, sure, I'm on my way. I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Thanks for calling."I hung up, then talking to Sheldon: "That's okay. Penny had too much to drink after work, a colleague just called to ask me to go and collect her. I have to go now." I walked towards the door, collecting my bag on the way.

Sheldon stood up and said "Amy, wait, I'm coming with you!"

"You don't have to, Sheldon."

"Yes I do. Penny is my friend and I promised myself I would be there for Penny while Leonard is away. Plus you might need someone to help you carrying her up the four flights of stairs. And anyways, you have to come back here as she lives across the hall. So this is settled. Let's go now." He said as he grabbed his jacket and walked to the door.

**A/N I hope you like this chapter. Feel free to leave reviews. So far, the story had been going quite slowly, but I needed to set up the situations and hint at Sheldon and Amy's initial feelings. Now the action is beginning. If you decide to come onboard, expect a few bumps on the way.**


	9. 9: The Family Turbulence Reaction

When Amy and I arrived at the Cheesecake Factory, Penny's colleague led us to the waitresses' changing room where we found Penny lying on a couch.

"Penny, can you hear me? " Amy said in a soft voice, kneeling next to her.

Penny lifted her head with difficulty and saw Amy's face next to hers "Hello Amy! What are you doing here?" She sat up on the couch slowly, helped by Amy "Oh yes, I remember, I asked Kelly to call you." She put her hand on the back of her head, wincing "Don't worry, I am fine. I did not feel like driving home, that's all."

"That's alright, Penny, you did the right thing, that's what besties are for. Come on." Then staring at me "Sheldon, please, can you help us?" I came closer and gave my hand to Penny so she could stand up easier.

"Sheldon? What are you doing here?" Penny seemed confused.

"Hey Penny. Let's go now, please."

She grasped both our arms and got up. Amy guided her outside while I opened the doors for them. When we reached the car, Amy asked me to sit down at the back with Penny to keep an eye on her. Within seconds, she put her head on my shoulder and fell asleep. I did not move, scared it might wake her up, but she was sleeping pretty deep already. Actually, she slept all the way to the apartment building. After Amy parked her car in front of the building, she turned to check on us. She grinned when she saw Penny with her head on me. "Well, should I be jealous, Sheldon?"

I frowned "Amy, really, do you think it is the best moment to joke around? Help me get her out of here please!"

Penny somehow managed to get out of the car and climb the four flights of stairs with Amy's help. Once we all reached the fourth floor, I proposed to Penny to come and sleep in Leonard's bedroom. She agreed, so we all got inside my apartment. As Amy and Penny headed directly for Leonard's bedroom, I went to the bathroom first to grab a towel and a bucket, which I put next to Leonard's bed. I picked a tee shirt out of Leonard's top drawer, handed it to Penny and left the room. I started to tidy up the living room and pack the Nintendo console up again. I left the box on the coffee table, as Amy came back.

"She fell asleep in two seconds." Amy walked through the living room "I have to go now, it is late. " She stopped at the door and turned towards me "Goodnight Sheldon. Thanks for tonight, and thanks for taking care of Penny. I'll text you in the morning."

I got closer to her, facing her "I will. Actually Amy thank **you** for the lovely evening. I really appreciated it. Everything up to the phone call. Especially the last part. We should try that again some other time."

She looked at me in the eyes and said softly "Yes we should, definitely" Then opening the door "Goodnight Sheldon!"

"Goodnight Amy! Drive safely."

It had been a very good evening indeed. Staying at home, with her, having a pizza, ice cream, and playing a video game together was all I needed to relax after a tough week. That… and the kiss. Actually, the kisses. Both of them were fascinating. The first one, when I found her lips, and could taste how sweet they were. And the second one, initiated by her, even more enjoyable. I closed my eyes as I remembered these moments. Gosh, what is going on with me? It's like I am becoming a hippie. I slept very well that night, thinking about that lovely evening.

I woke up at 6.30 as usual and after showering and dressing, I went to the kitchen to prepare my breakfast, when I heard Penny's voice.

"Good morning Sheldon! " she was on the couch, in Leonard's tee shirt.

"Good morning Penny! How are you this morning?" I asked, trying not to sound too judgmental.

"I am fine thank you. Well, except a major headache. By the way Sheldon, do you have some painkillers please?"

"Sure" I fetched her a glass of water then went to the bathroom, coming back with painkillers.

"Thanks Sweetie!"

"Do you want some coffee and toasts?"

"Yes please."

Going back to the kitchen, I said "I must admit Penny that I was surprised to see you here, awake so early"

"Leonard is calling at 8.30am, I just wanted to allow myself some time to wake up properly and freshen up. Thanks for letting me stay here last night Sheldon. And thanks for your help and Amy's."

"You are welcome Penny."

"I am sorry I bothered you during date night Sheldon, but as it was late, I thought Amy had already left. I hope I did not interrupt anything…."

"No, don't worry" I replied, trying to sound detached "Amy was just about to leave as the phone rang."

"What is this thing?" she asked, pointing at the box on the coffee table.

"Oh, that is a video game console. Amy and I played a game together yesterday night."

"Amy played a video game?" Penny sounded stunned "she never wants to play video games."

"Well, she did yesterday." I did not want to talk about it either. Both her coffee and my tea were ready. I poured it, and collected the toasts, which I brought on the coffee table. "do you want butter, peanut butter, jam?"

"No thanks, just toasts."

I reluctantly asked her as I was sitting down on my spot next to her "Penny, did your condition last night have anything to do with Leonard being away?"

She stared at me "A little Sheldon. So far, since he left, I have managed to get busy every evening, either with you, with the gang, or with the girls. But yesterday, you and Amy were on a date, Bernadette and Howard were having dinner at her parents and Raj said he had plans, and none of my other friends were available. I felt so lonely, I did not want to go home and be alone there. So after work, I stayed at the bar, and I may have drunk a little too much." Now she was looking at her mug "I miss him Sheldon, and yesterday, I realized I don't like being alone like that."

"Maybe you should call Amy, Penny, talk to her instead of me; you know I am not comfortable in social situations." I was beginning to feel very uncomfortable indeed "But you are not alone."

"Thanks Sweetie." She took a sip of her coffee "I have to say you are getting better at social situations as a matter of fact." She stared at me again and grabbed my hand. "You have changed in 7 years Sheldon. Especially this past year. And I like it. I like Amy's influence on you." She let go of my hand.

"Maybe"

_I think Penny is right. Amy has changed me in so many ways. I used to focus only on myself. But since I met Amy, I realize there is nothing more enjoyable than making someone else happy. Well, I mean making Amy happy. I love it when I can make her smile. I can definitely relate to Penny's current predicament too, as I don't know how I'd feel if Amy were to go away even for a short period. I guess I would feel lost, like Penny has since Leonard left. I can understand how she feels, so I won't judge her for what she did yesterday. And that is another sentiment I thought I would never feel: empathy._

Then I got up from the couch "Penny, I have to prepare myself to go to work, Kripke will be here very soon. You know where the keys are, stay as long as you need to. And please say hi to Leonard from me."

"Okay, I will, thanks Sweetie." Looking at me grabbing my mug and plate "Sheldon, I'll do the wash up, don't worry, go get ready."

Penny had just finished her breakfast as I made my way out of the apartment. Kripke was waiting for me outside in his car. He had been working for the whole evening on our project and wanted to show me his results as soon as we arrived. We spent the whole morning in my office. Surprisingly, Barry was so focused on work that he did not even ask me for details on my alleged night of love. Which was fine by me.

As Kripke left my office for lunch break, Amy sent me a text to see if I was available for a skype session. I told her I was so she called me straightaway.

"Hello Sheldon!" Amy welcomed me with a smile.

"Hi Amy! How are you? Not too tired after last night?"

"No, actually I am fine. And except for the last part, and going to bed quite late, the evening had been quite relaxing." She said softly. "What about you? And Penny? "

"I am fine, thanks. Amy, about Penny: could you please call her today? I think she needs to talk to a friend. We talked a bit this morning, but as I told her, I don't think I am the person she should talk to. She feels a bit depressed about Leonard being away, and I think she drank yesterday because she felt lonely."

"Okay, thanks Sheldon, I thought it might be so, I was about to call her later today anyways."

At that exact moment, I heard my phone ring. I checked and it was my mother.

"Amy, sorry, can I call you back later? My mother is calling; I have to take the call."

"Sure Sheldon, we can talk later. I'll call Penny in the meantime to check if everything is alright." She hung up.

"Allo mum!" I said as I pick up the phone.

"Allo Shelly." Then she paused.

"Mummy, what is going on? You sound strange"

"Shelly, I am calling you because Meemaw is at the hospital. She passed out last night after dinner. I called for an ambulance. Now she is at the hospital in Houston. She is in a coma."

I could not articulate a word. Meemaw. Nothing was supposed to happen to Meemaw. Never.

"Shelly, I know it is hard for you to learn that over the phone. But I had to keep you updated. Are you alright?" I could not say a word yet "Shelly, I'd like you to come, the doctors don't know what might happen. Do you think you can fly today?"

"Errr…. "I pulled myself together "Mum, let me check the flights, I'll try my best. I keep you updated as soon as I know." I paused, closing my eyes "Mum, tell me, she will be okay, right?"

"I don't know Shelly-bean, this is pretty serious. I have to go back there now. Keep me updated about your flight. I love you Shelly!"

"I love you mum. Please tell Meemaw her moonpie loves her."

I was in shock. I sat down. Then I checked on my computer when there were flights for Houston leaving today. There was one at 5pm from LAX. I booked it, sent a text to my mother with all the details and then I called Amy.

She answered immediately "Sheldon I know what is going on, I was on the phone with Penny when she received a text message from your mother. Are you alright?"

"I, no, actually, I am very worried. Mum says Meemaw is in a coma and that I should hurry, the doctors don't know what will happen" my voice was trembling, I could feel the tears about to leave my eyes "I just booked a flight for today. Amy, can you drive me to LAX please? The flight is at 5pm."

"Sure Sheldon, I am on my way. Wait for me in your office, I'll come and meet you there in an hour." She hung up.

I called Kripke to tell him I could not work with him this afternoon, and probably for a few days. Then I called President Siebert. He understood my predicament and told me to take as many days off as I needed. When Koothrappali and Wolowitz came by, wondering why I did not meet them for lunch, I told them too. They asked how they could help me, but I told them that I was fine, and that Amy already volunteered to help me. They left, telling me again they were there for me if I needed them. Then, alone in my office, I broke down in tears, slumped over my desk. I stayed like that until Amy arrived.


	10. 10: The California-Texas Translation

Sheldon sounded rather out of it on the phone. I knew he would need time to absorb the news. His grandmother means the World to him. They have a very close relationship; they write to each other every week, and he calls her every other week. He loves talking about his Meemaw and all the things she taught him. I hoped that by the time I reached Caltech, he would have snapped out of it. But he was far from it.

I knocked on his door a couple of times, but no one answered. Then I opened the door slowly. Sheldon was at his desk, sitting with his elbows on the desk and his head in his hands.

"Sheldon? Can I get in?" I said in a soft voice. He raised his head once he heard my voice. His eyes were all red from crying.

" Amy! » he looked pretty miserable. He was like a child unable to cope with the realities of life. He got up from his chair and walked towards me with his arms wide open, apparently eager for a comforting hug. On the spur of the moment, I snuggled against him with my arms around his waist. He put his all around me and hugged me really tight. He placed his head against mine and I could feel his breath on my neck.

I pulled away slowly after a couple of minutes, and looking up into his eyes, I said quietly "Sheldon, listen to me." I took both his hands in mine "I want you to calm down. Just breathe in, and then breathe out, deeply." I was almost whispering. He closed his eyes and obeyed. "That's it." I could feel him relax a little now as he let out a sigh. "Sheldon, I will take you home soon. But first, tell me: did you tell your boss about the situation?" He nodded. Is there someone else you need to warn? He shook his head. "Sheldon, did you have lunch?" He shook his head again "Okay, so I will go to the cafeteria see if I can get some sandwiches for the two of us." He nodded « Now please sit down, and try to relax, I'll be back in a few minutes. Okay? " I made him sit on his chair, grabbed a few tissues from the box on his desk, gave it to him and left.

I came back within fifteen minutes with our food. Sheldon was still sitting on his chair, but he was gathering papers that he put carefully in his satchel.

"Hey, I'm back". I stood on the other side of his desk. "Are you feeling any better? "

"Yes, thank you" he said, clearing his throat. "I will be ready in a minute. Then we can go home."

Indeed, he seemed to be a little better, self controlled again, more like his usual self. When he was ready, he simply made his way to the door, saying "let's go".

Once sitting in the car, I looked at him "Sheldon, are you alright? "

" I'm feeling a bit better now, thanks Amy."

"Alright, so let's go now. First, we will go to your place so you can pack, and we will have lunch there. Then we will head to the airport. We are on schedule."

I started the engine and headed towards Los Robles. When we got inside the apartment, he walked directly to his bedroom.

"Sheldon, would you rather I stay here and wait for you, or do you want me to help you pack?"

"I will be fine, thank you Amy".

"Sure. I will prepare our lunch and make some tea. I think you need it."

And so did I actually! It had been quite a shock finding Sheldon in that condition. It broke my heart to see him cry, and I was glad he finally managed to pull himself together.

After placing the sandwiches on plates and heating up some water for our tea, I sent a message to Penny. She had asked me to keep her updated about Sheldon's plans. She also told me to come back to her place after I dropped Sheldon at LAX, so we could chat a little. And maybe later we would have a girls night out with Bernadette.

I placed our plates and mugs on the counter and went to fetch him. As we both sat facing each other, he said, his eyes on his plate "I could not stand it, Amy."

I did not understand what he meant "What do you mean Sheldon?"

"If Meemaw were to die, I could not stand it."

I stared at him and said softly "Sheldon, look at me." He obeyed and looked at me straight in the eyes, fighting back his tears, "your grandmother is in a coma. She can still wake up. Don't give up hope, never." I went on "Of course death is a possibility, I won't lie to you, but it is not the only possible issue. Did your mother tell you exactly what happened? Was it a heart failure? A stroke? Or something else?"

"I don't know. She did not tell, and I did not ask. I was in shock."

"I know, I know. How old is your grandmother?"

"She just turned 79 last year."

"Okay. At that age, it could very likely come from a blood clot in the brain or a heart attack. Do you know if she has had heart problems in the past? Or if she suffers from chronic disease? The Kidneys? The Lungs maybe?"

"Not that I am aware of. Meemaw has always been very strong, I have never seen her sick."

"Sheldon, when you are there, and you know more about it, let me know. Especially if it is the brain, maybe I could help, or at least explain what is going on."

"Okay, I will, thanks." He started to bite in his sandwich.

"Also, once in Texas, you will have to be strong to support your mother, Sheldon. She must be terribly worried about her mother's condition, and she will need you to comfort and support her." I paused as I drank my tea and ate my sandwich "And you have to go to the hospital and talk to your Meemaw, tell her how much you love her. Many studies show that people in a coma can hear everything going on. And some patients said the voices of their loved ones helped them fight back."

Sheldon straightened up on his stool "You are right Amy. It is not over. Meemaw is a strong lady, she will fight." He stared at me with a forced smile "Thanks."

"Are you done with your packing yet?"

"Almost. Then I would like to have a shower before leaving, if we have enough time"

"We still have around one hour." I got up to clean my empty mug and plate "Don't forget your passport. Do you have your flight details printed out?"

"Yes. I am not hungry anymore." He had only eaten half his sandwich "I will go finish packing and then to the bathroom."

"Alright. I'll do the wash up and wait for you here. We will go whenever you are ready."

Sheldon reappeared forty minutes later, with his suitcase in his hand and his satchel on his shoulder. "I am ready now".

I got up from the couch where I was reading my work notes, and walked to the door.

I left Sheldon in front of the entrance of LAX terminal 1. As he got out of the car, he said "Thanks a lot Amy, for everything. I will be fine now. I mean, I am still very worried about Meemaw and cannot wait to see her, but I will try to focus on the possible positive outcome and stop anticipating the worst. And as you pointed out, I need to be strong for my mum, and I will. Thanks for always being there for me." He smiled lightly as he said so.

"That's the right attitude Sheldon. And you don't have to thank me for anything, I am your girlfriend, of course I am always there for you." I was staring back "please keep me updated on your trip. I feel better when I know where you are. And when you are in Texas, you can call me anytime; if you need to speak to someone, I want you to call me. I'm your emergency contact, remember?"

"I will. Goodbye Amy!"

"Goodbye Sheldon! Safe flight"

And he left. I watched him go away. I wished I could go with him, I was sure I could help him. But firstly, he did not ask me to go and secondly it is a family matter and I am not family.

I was at Penny's less than one hour later.

"Hey Ames, come in."

"Thanks." I got in "So that is it, Sheldon is on his way to Texas. Well, actually technically he still is at the airport now, he just checked in." I sat down on the couch next to Penny.

"How did he deal with the news? His mother was very worried and sorry that she had to tell him over the phone. I told her not to worry, that you were going to take good care of him."

"Well, at first, he totally fell apart, I did not know what to do. Then we talked and he seemed to get better. He is very worried but at least he will try to be strong for his mother."

"By the way, Amy, Mrs Cooper asked me to give you her phone number. And she would like to have yours. In case she needs to contact you… I was surprised that you did not have each other's numbers actually."

"Well, the only time we met, I am not sure she was that impressed with me."

"You are wrong." Smiling Penny said "She told me once that she knew immediately that you were the right person for Sheldon."

"Really? I did not know that." Wow, I was surprised by Penny's words. So Sheldon's mother actually approved of me. That was interesting. I entered Sheldon's mother's phone number in my phone and sent her a text giving her mine. I told her how sorry I was about her mother, and that I hoped she would get better soon. I also updated her on Sheldon. Then I leant against the couch's back and closed my eyes." Gosh Penny, I have had such a tough day. It really hurt to see him like that, youknow. He looked so miserable when I arrived at his office. Oh, I really need to think about something else tonight!"

"I have exactly what you need: Zinfandel!" she said, on her way to the kitchen. She came back with a bottle and two glasses.

At that exact moment, I received a text message from Sheldon. He was onboard, ready to leave. In about three hours he would be in Texas.


	11. 11: The Moonpie Anguish Excalation

I arrived at George Bush International Airport at around 10.30pm local time. As I was collecting my suitcase, I switched on my phone and discovered a message from my mother. It read that George, my older brother, would be waiting for me outside of the Domestic flights terminal. I stepped outside the terminal, and there he was, on the other side of the road, in his red pickup.

My brother and I have never been close. He was born only two years before Missy and I, but we never had anything in common. He was always fighting, going after girls or messing around with his group of friends. And he used to bully me at home. I guess we simply never understood each other, as he has never had any interest in school, science or even video games; George was good at sports and mechanics, neither of which I like. George has always made my father proud, probably because they were very much alike, but I think he has always been jealous of my special bonds with my mother and with Meemaw. Now, as adults, we don't really talk to each other much, except when I come back home. George is a mechanic in Galveston, around 30 minutes away from my mum's house.

We shook each other's hand as he greeted me politely. I thanked him for picking me up that late, and he simply nodded; He told me that mum was at home, waiting for me, with Missy and Missy's boyfriend, Steve. The three of them and George had spent the whole day at the hospital. I asked George to tell me a little more about what happened to Meemaw.

He told me that yesterday night, Meemaw had had dinner with mum like every evening. But when she stood up to go to her room, she fell to the ground and laid there unconscious. Mum called immediately for an ambulance, then called George. When he arrived, the ambulance was taking Meemaw to the hospital. George drove there with Mum. After long minutes, Meemaw's doctor told them that it was a stroke and the CT scan confirmed it had been provoked by a blood clot. They said that the best way to get rid of the clot was to inject some treatment, George could not remember its name. They could not tell if Meemaw would wake up though. The doctors allowed George and Mum to see Meemaw this morning, and again tonight with Missy, but not for long.

When we reached the house, my mother was standing outside, with Missy and a man I assumed was her boyfriend Steve. I kissed my twin sister, shook hands with Steve, whom Missy introduced to me, and I hugged my mother.

Missy and Steve were leaving, as they had a long drive back home to Cypress, where Steve has a house. George also left. They all promised to call Mum tomorrow, but neither of them thought they could go to the hospital as they had to work. Then Mum and I finally got inside the house. Mum gave me a little more details about Meemaw's condition. I told her I would ask Amy for her professional opinion on it.

Mum looked exhausted. She said she had to go to bed, as she had been up for around 24 hours and needed to sleep. She kissed me goodnight, after telling me we'd leave for the hospital at 8am tomorrow morning. I also retreated to my room as I was very tired as well. I sat on my bed for a minute and looked around: nothing had changed since I was a kid, or almost. My old Star Wars posters were on the walls, my physics trophies on the shelves, the rockets and satellites I have built over the years hanging from the ceiling… I was home; but under very special circumstances.

It was 10pm in California. After pondering for long minutes whether it was too late or not to call Amy, I decided I would. After all, Amy said before I left that I could call whenever I needed to, and at that exact moment, I did. I switched on my computer, and checked if she was on skype. She was not. So I decided to text her, asking her if I could call now. I did not have to as she called me back almost immediately.

"Allo Sheldon! What is going on?" she said, as her face appeared on my phone screen. She looked worried.

"Don't worry Amy, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you a little, as you said I could call anytime…"

"Of course, Sheldon."

"Amy, my mother told me a little more about what happened and she gave me the notes she took when the doctors were talking to her. You were right, Meemaw had an ischemic lost consciousness after dinner yesterday night. The ambulance arrived very fast, within 10 minutes, and Meemaw arrived at the hospital 40 minutes after the stroke occurred. The doctor said they would use thrombolysis. They also said they don't know yet when or if she is going to wake up." I paused to let her think "What do you think? What does that mean?"

"Okay." She spoke softly "So your grandmother suffered a cerebro-vascular accident. Apparently, in her case, it was caused by a clot that blocked a blood vessel. It means some area of her brain did not received oxygen for 40 minutes. It is quite frequent for elderly people, Sheldon. Usually, the patients who are having a stroke lose the mobility in one side of their body, or cannot speak properly anymore, or whatever. But sometimes, the patient loses consciousness, as your grandmother she has been taken care of within one hour, the area was very localized. So the most obvious choice to try to heal her is thrombolysis, or clot busting if you prefer. It is performed by injecting directly into the veins drugs that will break down the clot. Once the pressure is release, the impacted area can receive oxygen again. Am I clear, Sheldon?"

"Yes. So are you saying you think the doctors did right?"

"Yes, I think so, but I don't have all the details." She obviously did not feel very comfortable.

"Fair enough. I do have a few questions though."

"Alright, I'll try to answer, but not knowing the exact details, I can only interpret from what you told me."

"After her brain is supplied with oxygen again, will she wake up? When?"

"Okay, it depends. She could wake up today, tomorrow, in a month or in a year, you cannot predict how someone will react to the treatment. But like I said, she has been taken care of quite quickly, so she has fair chances. Although, with strombolysis, there is an additional risk of hemorragie." She went on. "Also, Sheldon, you have to be aware that if she wakes up, she may have sequelae, either permanently or for a shorter period of time; she could be blind, or be unable to move one arm or one leg, or she could lose the capacity of speech, among other things." There was a long silence "Sheldon, are you alright? I am sorry I have to tell you all that like this."

"Yes Amy I am alright" I tried not to cry. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I'm afraid there is nothing more to do now Sheldon. Just wait." She paused "I wish I could tell you more, or tell you she will wake up for sure, but I can't say that. Only time will tell us what will happen." I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was truly sorry. But I was grateful for her honesty. "Sheldon, if you can visit her, don't forget to talk to her. I told you earlier, she can hear you."

"Thanks Amy. Thanks for helping me understand it all, and thanks for being honest with me. I appreciate it." I tried to smile to her "I will either text or call you tomorrow to keep you updated." I frowned as I looked at her onscreen "Wait Amy, why are you in my apartment?"

"Oh, I was at Penny's when you called. I wanted some privacy, so Penny suggested I came here and gave me her spare key. Do you mind?"

"Of course not. I was surprised, that's all. Thanks again Amy. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Sheldon. Try to sleep at least a little; you will need all your strength tomorrow."

I hung up with Amy, and tried to go to sleep. But of course all I could think of was Meemaw. All my happy memories as a kid were somehow linked to Meemaw. She has always accepted my difference and was always comforting me when the others were mean to me. After Pop-Pop died, Meemaw was the only one who tried to understand my love for science, science-fiction, comic books and video games. I spent hours with her, explaining my new discoveries, talking about my readings, and my inventions. She gave me my first chemistry kit, my first Nintendo console, my first Mr Spock action figure; she came with me to conferences which I know she found boring. She baked and cooked for me, and still does when I come and visit. She taught me how to cook too. We speak every two weeks on the phone, and she is always encouraging. It is so painful to know she might not wake up from the stroke, or if she does that she might never fully recover. I fell asleep crying.

I slept terribly. I woke up at 7am, took a quick shower and went down to the kitchen. My mother was already awake, cooking bacon and eggs for the two of us.

"Good morning Shelly! Sit down, your breakfast is almost ready. I was about to call you."

"Good morning mum. It smells good." I sat down.

After she gave me my plate, she asked me "Shelly, have you talked to your friend Amy about what the doctors said?"

"Yes. She said that considering what I told her, she thinks they made the right decision."

"And did she tell you if and when she will wake up?"

"She said she can't tell. Nobody can. We will have to wait." I stood up and went next to my mother, thinking about what Amy told me, that I had to be there to support her. "Mummy, she will be alright. She is strong, she will fight, she will come back. I am sure of it." I took her in my arms. She seemed surprised, but opened her arms and held me close.

She whispered "Thanks Shelly-bean" then pulling away. "Now let's have breakfast, and then we will go and visit your Meemaw." We set off a half hour later.

When we arrived at the hospital, I realized I was not prepared to see Meemaw like that; As we got in her room, there were two nurse's aides busy next to Meemaw. But I could not take my eyes off Meemaw: shehad tubes going in and out all over her body. Mum and I got closer to the bed. She sat on the armchair next to the bed and started talking to her mother with a determined voice.

"Good morning Mother! Look who is here to see you today! Your moonpie!"

I felt tears building up in my eyes. I tried to hold it, but I could not; I had known for a day now that she was in a coma, but facing reality like that hurt terribly. "Hi Meemaw!" I mumbled.

The two nurse's aides left us, probably realizing we needed privacy.

My mum looked at me and said "Shelly, I will go and see if I can talk to her doctor or to a nurse. I'd like to know if there is some news about her condition. Keep talking to her please darling." She left the room. I sat next to the bed, still staring at Meemaw. I took her hand in mine and started talking slowly next to her ear, remembering Amy's words. "Meemaw, I love you, I need you, please come back!" and I burst in tears.I was glad my mother was away at that moment. I needed to pull myself together before she came back. I wiped away my tears with tissues I had in my pocket. I breathed in and out slowly, then went on talking to her. I told her all the things I usually write in my weekly letters: I talked about my work, about Leonard and his project in the North Sea, about Amy. When I was talking about Amy and our last date playing Super Mario Bros, my mother came back to the room.

"The doctor says there is nothing new." I carefully let go of Meemaw's hand and got up from the chair to let my mother sit there. I found another chair that I moved next to my mother's.

"Shelly, I'd like us to say a prayer together for Meemaw. Give me your hand." Usually I am reluctant to give in to my mother's faith, but today I was ready to try anything for Meemaw.

**A/N: Very interested to know what you guys thought about that one. I will be away for a few days, so no updates before next week. Expect a surprise guest's POV for next chapter.**


	12. 12: The Girlfriend Parallel Reaction

**A/N: I am sorry, I had promised that this chapter would be written through a special guest's POV, but it was a little too early. This time it is Amy's POV. But the guest is getting ready to intervene soon... Thanks again for the nice reviews and sorry for being late for this delivery.**

"Amy, just landed in Houston. Thanks again for everything. S"

This text message arrived as Penny, Bernadette and I were finishing dinner at Penny's, around 8.30pm. The girls wanted to go out to a restaurant or a bar but I told them I preferred staying home, ordering take away and watching a movie. I told them I was too exhausted to go out, which was true; it had been quite an exhausting day.

It had started well, though. In the morning, I had had a kick off meeting with my new project team, composed of Brian and Kate. Brian is a trained neuroscientist and Heather has degrees in both sociology and neuropsychology. This was the first time the three of us met, so the meeting was very interesting. Our project manager thought that teaming us up, with our different backgrounds and experiences could only add up in regards to the project, and I have to say I agreed; it does not happen that often that you get to work with people with other specialties, so I'm really thrilled about it. I know I will learn a lot from them, and I am really looking forward to start it all. Brian is an Irishman from Dublin. He is tall, dark-haired, probably in his late thirties and quite handsome. And very friendly and outgoing. He has a PhD in neuroscience and has been working in UCLA for a little over a year now. Heather is a short blond-haired woman about my age. She graduated from Johns Hopkins, and has been working in UCLA as a lecturer ever since.

Together, and with our project manager, we are now trying to delimit a perimeter of our project. We received some funding for a year for the following topic: "Correlation between Intellectual Quotient and Social Intelligence Quotient: a study of subjects with high IQs". But we are actually facing two main problems to begin with: 1) the techniques used to determine IQs are quite controversial, especially for IQ above 160 and 2) As far as social skills/emotional reactions are involved, it is difficult to separate what a human being knows through the influence of his environment and what he feels naturally. Hence, people have already tried to evaluate Social Intelligent Quotient but nothing has been either validated or considered conclusive by the scientific community.

So we will probably have to start our study by defining our own IQ scale, and determining which social skills we would like to analyze more closely. At the same time, we will have to select a panel of 30-40 people. The first criterion will be that these individuals have IQ above 160 obtained with at least two methods. Then we will have to decide on other criteria, depending on what we will focus on. Will we try to find people all around the World and analyze separately the effects of the environments? Or will we select people with almost the same training and from the same area, with the risk that our analysis could not be extrapolated for other groups of people? We will have to hold several meetings to agree on that. I would personally prefer finding people geographically localized, sharing the same main elements of culture, but with a range of skills going from brilliant musician to physics researcher for instance. But maybe it is because the neurobiologist already foresees the interest in localizing the different areas of the brain. Anyways, the upcoming weeks will be very interesting.

So I was quite happy with my morning's activities, and was really looking forward to sharing the news with my boyfriend, but during lunch break, Sheldon received the terrible news about his grandmother. Sheldon may seem very detached, aloof, almost insensitive to most people, but I have known for quite some time now that it is the exact opposite, and that he built a shield around him to avoid being hurt. And this time, with his Meemaw being involved, he just could not hide his true feelings. At least not with me. So as soon as I learnt what had happened, I decided to take the afternoon off, so I could take care of him. When I arrived, he looked so miserable that all I could do was trying to calm him down with comforting words. It worked eventually, and he left for Houston a little less groggy than when I found him. But I was amazed at how much Sheldon let me take charge for him. He listened and reacted to everything I told him. He literally relied on me and followed exactly what I said. It was very heartbreaking seeing him like that, but it was also a great proof of his trust and respect for me. If possible, I loved him even more for not being scared to appear weak in front of me. Anyways to my eyes, he was not being weak, he was simply being both sensitive and honest.

Leaving Sheldon like that at the airport had been very difficult, and even if we had planned a girls night with Penny and Bernadette, I knew it would be impossible for me to think about something else. So despite Penny's insistence, I did not drink alcohol at all. I knew I had to stay sober in case Sheldon needed me. I had told him he could call me for professional advice once he knew more, and I wanted him to be able to count on me. Either for moral support or professional opinion.

And I also knew Bernadette and I had to talk to Penny about what had happened the night before, and what lead her to drink on her own after work. Sheldon had talked to her and seemed worried, so I decided both Bernadette and I needed to broach this topic with her tonight. Penny admitted quite easily that she had a problem; she confided in us about her loneliness and her difficulties to cope with Leonard's absence.

"Actually, I thought about it today." She said "I think the reason why I cannot seem to focus on anything else is because there is nothing else in my life worth focusing on; I mean I'm not like you girls. You have your work, which you love, and you can focus on it and it gives you pleasure. I don't have anything that I like that much, outside of Leonard and our group of friends. So maybe I should just try to find something I'd really love to do. Maybe it is time for me to look back on my life and decide what I'd really like to do. After all, I'm almost 28."

Once she had finished, Bernadette added, nodding "I have to admit I think you are right, Penny. What helped me during Howard's absence last year was my work. I spent lots of hours working, and I just loved it. I did not mind, and it definitely kept me busy. If only you could find the same kind on interest in something, that could do it for you as well…"

"Have you already thought of things you'd like to do?" I asked

"I really don't know. Next week, I will take the week off and go to Nebraska. I haven't seen my family in quite some time, I miss them. And I really think I need to go away and make some serious thinking about it all."

Bernadette placed her hand on Penny's "That is wise Penny. I think you are right, you need to do something, you cannot stay like this. I think Amy agrees with me when I say that if you need anything, you can just let us know. We are here for you."

"Thanks ladies, I know that. I appreciate it more than you can know." Penny said, with a smile on her face. "Okay so, what movie do you want to watch tonight ladies? Are you more in a Ryan Gosling mood or a Sandra Bullock mood? Crazy Stupid Love or The Blind Side?"

We decided on Crazy Stupid Love with Ryan Gosling. The title seemed appropriate with our current state of mind. The film was actually very entertaining, and we all agreed that Ryan Gosling was just the cutest actor ever. But I have to admit that I spent most of the evening with an eye on my phone. Until the last message arrived at around 10pm.

"Amy, can I call you now? It is important, but if you are busy, no worries. I just need to talk. S"

We were towards the end of the movie. Penny pressed the pause button on the remote control and said they'd wait for me to resume it. She gave me the key to the guys apartment, telling me I would be more comfortable there to talk. I took it and crossed the hallway to my boyfriend's apartment. There, I sat on the couch and called him back. Sheldon sounded glad to hear me, but I could feel that he was both worried and exhausted. He asked me for my professional opinion about his grandmother's condition and how it had been dealt with by the doctor. I was torn. Should I tell him the truth or should I reassure him telling him everything is going to be alright…? I decided on honesty. I told him everything he needed to know about strokes and their consequences. He had to know his grandmother might never wake up, or if she did, could have to live with sequelae. But as I told him, she had been taken to the hospital pretty fast which was very important in such cases. I wish I could hold him tight at that moment, comfort him, I felt terrible telling him all that through the phone. But he seemed to accept the situation with calm. He thanked me for my help, and hung up.

I stayed sat for a few minutes. It was not so much that I missed him, we had barely left each other a few hours ago. It was that I hated not being with him in such a difficult moment of his life. After a moment, I realized where I was and smiled at the irony: without even being aware of it, I had sat on his spot on the couch. Then I realized that barely 24 hours earlier, we were both sitting on that same couch, having such a good time together. The video game console was still there on the table. So many things had taken place since then, since we spent that lovely evening here and then kissed. At that thought, I got up quickly, trying hard not to remember the softness of his lips, the touch of his hands on my waist…. I went back to Penny's. We finished the movie and I got home; it took me time to find sleep that night.

I had planned to spend the weekend at home, working on my research on IQ and Social Intelligence. I also had to prepare a lecture that I would give next month for a conference. The one page summary and the first draft of my speech had to be submitted by the end of the week. The conference will be about Women and Science. This conference will be held to encourage young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. It is a free two day conference organized jointly by UCLA and Caltech. Over 100 women with careers in these fields have been invited to talk about their own experience as women and either engineers, laboratory researchers, mathematicians, science teachers, astrophysicists, astronauts, or MDs, … The goal of the Women in Science conference is to show students that STEM careers are exciting, attainable and rewarding. I was thrilled when my boss asked me to take part of it. Usually, I don't like speaking in conferences, because it requires lots of time and I prefer to focus on my researches, but this time I felt the purpose was important. By the end of the day, I had written the summary, but also most of my speech.

Sheldon and I kept in touch all day long, mostly through text messages. And then in the evening, he skyped me twice. The first time was before dinner. He told me about his visit to his grandmother and how difficult it had been for him. He had tears in his voice. I felt he needed comforting and I tried to show him I was there for him. He was proud to say that he managed to pull himself together and talked to her quite a bit. I tried to tell him I was proud of how he reacted without sounding condescending and that there was nothing more he could do for his Meemaw right now. He also told me he tried to comfort his mother, as I had told him to. But she was very worried for her mother. He asked me if I'd agree to talk to her to make her understand better what was going on. I agreed, a bit surprised by his request. Sheldon took his computer to the living room, and called his mother so she could come and talk to was indeed quite nervous and did not understand everything that the doctor or even Sheldon told her. Mrs Cooper and I talked for at least fifteen minutes. I tried to explain clearly the process of the brain, and the mechanisms leading to strokes, the possible sequelae… In the end she seemed to understand it better. Sheldon stayed there for the whole time, but said nothing. I tried to read his facial expressions, see if he was annoyed by the encounter or if he was pleased. I could not tell. Then when we had finished talking, Sheldon told his mother "You see, mum, I told you Amy could explain it all to you; And you can trust her, she is one of the most brilliant neurobiologists in the World." I was surprised and touched by this comment, because I could feel in his voice he really meant it, and was kind of bragging about me. His mother thanked me for answering her questions and we hung up.

After dinner, Sheldon called me back to chat a little more. I told him about Penny, about Leonard who was now on the North Sea; he talked to me about how it felt being back home, he talked about his siblings, that he was actually enjoying spending time with them, for the first time in his life. He had never felt close to neither of them, but for some reason since he came back, he enjoyed having them around.

Sunday went by same a Saturday: I continued my researches on IQ, I finished my speech and then skyped with Sheldon.

On Monday morning, Sheldon called me around 9am as I had just arrived at my lab: "Amy she is awake! I was reading to her, and suddenly I saw her hand move! And then she opened her eyes and smiled at me! Amy, she is back, Meemaw is back!" He sounded quite excited.

"That is very good news Sheldon. Is she alright? What does the doctor say?"

"I don't know, I called for the nurse, and she asked me to go outside. The doctor is with her now. I am anxious, I hope everything is alright."

"You saw her move, she opened her eyes, she smiled, these are lots of good signs Sheldon. Her smiling could mean she is aware of what is happening around her. "

"I could see in her eyes she knew it was me! " He said softly.

Then in the background I heard his mother's voice."Shelly, we are here; tell us more about what happened! "

"Amy, I will have to hung up, Mum and Missy just arrived. I'll call you later."

I went on with my work, and by noon, as he still had not called me back, I sent him a text message.

"Sheldon, what are the news? Please let me know."

Sheldon called me back immediately "Sorry Amy, I tried to find a moment to call you, but it was difficult. I'm at my brother's now. The doctor told us we won't be able to see her again today, as they have to run tests, scans, all kind of analyses; so we all went back to George's place to have lunch. They told us to call later in the afternoon." He went on "Amy, she can move both legs and arms, and she sees perfectly. She understands what is going on around her. But she cannot talk."


	13. 13: The Mother Realization Excitation

When I was a little girl and I complained about something that was bothering me, Mother used to tell me "Mary, God does not give you more than you can handle". I never forgot it and made that sentence a motto for my whole life. I have already had the opportunity to check its validity several times. But this week, God sure wanted to push my limits a little further. Or maybe through this painful event, his plan was to show me that my prayers had been heard, after all these years.

Last Thursday evening, after dinner, Mother fell to the floor due to a stroke. She was taken to the hospital in a coma, and for three days we had no idea whether she would wake up or on Monday morning, she opened her eyes and smiled to Shelly who was by her was awake, but could not speak. Apparently, very often after a stroke,it takes several days to several months for the patients to be able to speak doctor told us that she had been very lucky though, and Amy confirmed it later.

This week has been full of events, not always easy to deal with, but I was very blessed to have my three children with me to help me overcome that for once, they all seemed to get along quite if we were a loving close-knit family. The family I have always wanted.

Things have never been easy between my children. I love them all, and I know they love me back, but for some reason, they never really got along together. Especially Sheldon with the others.

George Jr was my first born. My husband George and I had only been married for a year when our baby boy was born. George was so proud of him, and these two were so much alike. Then two years later, we had the twins, a little boy and a little Jane was a graceful baby, always smiling, laughing, and playing. And she became a charming girl, who has always had lots of success with Lee was also a very beautiful baby, but very quiet. From a very young age, I knew Shelly was like no other child, I could not explain how. Maternal instinct maybe. Thenwhen he was six months old, he already tried to push on his legs to walk by himself. When he was one, he spoke his first words, and could make sentences when he was barely fifteen months he was two, he could read, and not only the children's books we gave him: he often stole the newspaper and read everything in it. After the first alarming symptoms, we went to a doctor to try to understand what was going on with our baby. The doctor informed us that Sheldon was a child sent us to many specialists to evaluate his brain, and they all confirmed that Sheldon was a genius. Most of them even told us that Sheldon was probably one of the most intelligent of his generation. We were not quite sure what to do, but we always refused to send him to special schools, as we thought he'd feel better with kids his age, especially his twin it was obvious that Sheldon was bored at school. We bought many books for him, about quantum physics, electromagnetism, anything he said he was interested in, but that was never enough for his thirst for at the same time, Shelly never felt the need to spend time with kids his age. So when he was eleven, we asked him to make a decision and he chose to go to college in another state. He graduated when he was 16, then again at 20. Everyone wanted him to work for them, but Sheldon chose to go to Los Angeles, at the California Institute of Technology, where one of his models had been a researcher for years.

When Sheldon left home for college, it was as if George and Missy finally found their place in the family. I guess Sheldon's gift and abilities had been the center of our attention, and we had not paid enough attention to our two other kids. With Sheldon away, life at home was easier for everyone. Also, at home, Sheldon was too aware of his intelligence compared to his siblings, and never stopped making fun of them, which made them feel stupid. It never helped them bonding.

It was not an easy situation for me, as I don't think anyone is ready to have a child like Sheldon. But I love my baby and just want the best for him. I sought for the Lord's help during all these years, and I think I managed to give him the love and attention he needed, as well as to my other children. My relationship with Sheldon has always been difficult, as he was always pointing out how wrong I was, how intelligent he was compared to all of us… But I made him respect me and obey me. I never gave in to his quirks and obsessions; he was my kid, and he had to play by my rules.

With Mother, though, Sheldon has always been different. Father and Mother were the first ones who understood and supported Sheldon's interest for physics. Father was a worker for an oil company, but had always been interested in engineering. He enjoyed spending time with Sheldon, listening to his ideas, and was very proud to have such an intelligent grandson. When he died, Mother kept on spending much time with Sheldon. She bought him books, toys, comic books, went with him to conferences, and could listen to him for hours. Sheldon has so much respect for his Meemaw, probably more than he has ever had for anyone. She is everything for him, and she does love her Moonpie a lot in return.

I had not seen Sheldon for over a year before this week, and the Sheldon that I have seen these past few days is just a complete unknown to me. It is as if he showed me a totally different side of his personality, a side that I did not even know existed. First of all, the most surprising is how grown up he appears now. Sheldon has always been a lovely child to me, but even as an adult, he did not change the kind of relationship he had with me. To his mind, I was his mummy so I was there to take care of him. For years, I had been telling him that I'd like him to behave like a grown man with me. And this time, while I was so not expecting it, he manned up and tried to reassure me about Mother's condition. He even took me in his arms to make me feel better; It was usually always the other way around. That was my first clue that something had changed in my baby.

Sheldon was also amazing with his Meemaw. When she was in a coma, he stayed in her room for hours, either reading books to her, or telling her stories about his life. And then when she woke up, he went on visiting her every day, holding her hand, smiling at her, trying to make her feel better.

Then by accident, one evening, I overheard him talking to Amy over the computer, and then I the way my Shelly spoke to her, with such sincerity, and from the way she replied, quietly and firmly at the same time in order to comfort him, I knew for sure that my boy had met his perfect match. I had prayed so often for a guardian angel to protect my Shelly, and there she is. Amy is a scientist like him, and they seem to understand each other very well on many levels. For a long time, Shelly insisted that she was just a friend, nothing more. I had met her once, long ago, maybe five or six months after Shelly met her. And I had already been amazedat my Shelly's reaction to her absence, and how they seemed to click when they were together. Now I know there was much more than a friendship there. Penny had told me about it, but I needed to witness it myself to believe it. Like St Thomas.

Although Shelly never officially introduced Amy as his girlfriend, he agreed to let me talk to her over the computer last Saturday. I told him that there were a few things I'd like to know about brains, and he asked if she'd agree to talk to me about it, as she is some kind of brain specialist. I have to admit that I also wanted to talk to her to see Sheldon's reaction. Andmy Shelly looked so proud of Amy; and I have to admit she explained to me perfectly what was going on, and with lots of patience. I was very grateful to her for that.

For the rest of the week, Shelly has been in touch with her all the time. He texted her, called her, and talked to her on the internet in the evening. As if he could not do without her…

Of course, both George and Missy noticed the change in Sheldon as well. They both came to ask me what was going on with their brother. They were not complaining of course, they were just surprised. I simply replied that I thought their brother was in love with the right person for him.

Amy's influence on Sheldon allowed me to get answers to all my prayers concerning my children: Sheldon seems to be taken very good care of, and I haven't given hope for a real, united family some day.

Because of that, today, I made my decision. And finally sent a text message to Amy.

"Amy, dear, I'd like you to come here with us all for the weekend. Sheldon's siblings want to meet you, and I am pretty sure Sheldon would love having you here with him. Please say yes. Mary Cooper".

**A/N: So here we are, Mary Cooper intervening in this story. Let me know if you liked this chapter, and if you think I should invite other guests from time to time... ;-)**


	14. 14: The Girlfriend Factor Equilibrium

_Today is Friday. I have been in Texas for almost a week now. But it has been so hectic, it almost feels like I've been here for weeks. Just after Meemaw woke up, last Monday, I called President Siebert to tell him I'd probably not be back before next week. He said he understood but reminded me that the deadline for the grant proposal was in less than 6 weeks. I promised him that Kripke and I would be ready to submit our project on time. Then I called Kripke, and we managed to find a way to work together, in spite of the distance. So this week was organized as follows: from 9am to 12pm, Kripke and I worked together through skype. Then Mum and I had lunch together on our way to the hospital. Visits were only allowed from 2pm, as the doctor had reduced visiting time to three hours a day ever since Meemaw woke up. Usually, George, Missy and Steve came as well, at least for the last hour. Then we all had dinner together, usually at Mum's or at a restaurant in La Galleria. Then Mum and I went back home. I skyped with Kripke for one hour from 8pm, and then with Amy for one hour or two. And then it was bedtime._

"Good afternoon Meemaw ! " I bent down to kiss her on the cheek, and sat down next to her bed. She had that big smile on her face as she kissed me, and then Mum.

"Good afternoon Mother!" Mum said as she sat on the other side of the bed.

"How are you today? You look better every day!" I helped her straighten up, and placed a pillow behind her back. "It will be only the three of us this afternoon, at least until 4.30pm. George is working but he'll come by after work; Missy and Steve cannot come today, but they promised they will be there all afternoon tomorrow." She blinked once, which meant she understood.

_Since she woke up and she could not talk, we had established a simple way of communication: blinking once meant "yes" or "I agree" or "the first choice out of two" and blinking twice meant "no" or "I don't understand" or "the second choice". At first, I had brought some paper and a pen so she could communicate by writing down what she wanted to say, but we discovered that she had also lost the ability to write. So the blinking system was the easiest and the most effective way to understand her. _

_The doctor has not said much so far about Meemaw's condition. He only said that she suffered from expressive aphasia provoked by the stroke. He also said she would have to see a speech therapist tomorrow so he could determine the depth of her speech problem; and help us find a way to communicate. Yesterday morning, I talked to Amy about it, asking her for her opinion. She asked me to give her the name of the doctor, saying she would ask him more details and if he accepted, she would ask for a copy of Meemaw's file. I tried to reach Amy all morning, to find out what she had learnt, but for some reason the calls don't go through. She may be in a meeting and probably switched her phone off. I'll try again later._

_This whole week, I have been in touch with Amy several times a day. We often texted when she was at work, and then in the evening, we skyped . We talked about what was going on in Texas, but also about her day, and our friends, and she gave me news of Leonard. I just loved these moments because I loved knowing she was there with me, for me. But I can't help thinking I'd like to have her physically here with me. It is hard to explain, but even though we have spent lots of time talking to each other this week, I miss having her next to me. I'd love to be able to introduce her to all my family, show her around… But Amy is so busy, especially with her new project, and she probably would not have been able to come. Several times, I wanted to ask her, and then I did not want to make her feel uncomfortable when she'd have to say no. And it would hurt me so much to hear her say no to me._

Today, I had brought a book to read to Meemaw. Usually, I only do that when there is just the two of us in the room, but today Mum asked me to read for her as well. I accepted. We chose one of Meemaw's favorite book, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. Definitely not my first choice, but it's what Meemaw likes that really matters. And actually, I don't mind reading it that much; for some reason, it reminds me of Amy. Maybe because this atmosphere is kind of similar to Amy's favorite tv series, Downtown , I really cannot get her out of my head!

My audience was hanging onto my every word when George finally arrived. He came close to the bed to kiss Meemaw and sat next to me. I stopped reading, and promised Meemaw I'd resume reading tomorrow. George talked to us about his day at work. Then at 5pm we all left. Tonight, we were all expected at Steve and Missy's for dinner. We said goodbye to Meemaw and all headed towards the exit. George said he had to go run an errand and that he'd meet us at Missy's around 7pm. As Mum and I walked to the car, she said she'd have to stop by somewhere before going to Cypress. "But it won't be long, Shelly, I promise". As she was driving, I tried to reach Amy again. This time, it went through, but she did not pick up. I was beginning to worry about her. I was so baffled that I did not even realize where we were, before my mother parked the car in front of the domestic flights terminal. Then as I looked up, I saw a familiar face waiting outside. "Amy? What is she….?" I stared at my mother "Mum, did you….?"

"Yes Shellybean, I did. Shelly, you and her have been on the phone all the time this week, she may as well be here with us. Plus we would all want to meet her, including Meemaw. Is there a problem, Shelly?"

"No Mum, it's just I 'm surprised. I did not think she could come, she is very busy."

"Well, I asked her, and judging by how quickly she accepted, I guess she had already considered coming, if only you had asked her" she said, with a tone of reproach "She only hesitated because she knows you don't like surprises Sheldon. I told her not to worry, that you'd be glad with this surprise. Was I wrong, darling?"

"No Mum, of course not!" And then I rushed out of the car to go and meet my girlfriend. When I saw her face, I realized how much I had missed her. I smiled at her "Amy! I am so glad you are here." I opened my arms to embrace her in a hug. I could hear and feel a sigh of relief leaving her. "I have been trying to reach all day long, Amy, I was worried!"

"I'm sorry Sheldon, I could not let you know I was coming, your mother wanted it to be a surprise. And I just could not lie to you on the phone. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, I am so glad you are here!"

Pulling away, she smiled at me. I took her bag from her, and led her to my mother's car. Mom was outside, smiling at us. "Hello Amy, glad to see you!"

"Hi Mrs Cooper. Thanks for inviting me." And they hugged.

"Please Amy, call me Mary."

"Alright, Mary." As she glanced at me, I could see that she was watching my reaction. I smiled at her. I was so glad they were getting along.

When we arrived at Steve's, I realized my mother had kept it a surprise for everyone, as no one seemed to be expecting to see opened the door and looked at me with insistence. I got in, kissed her and said "Amy, this is my twin sister Missy, Missy, this is Amy, my girlfriend."

"Oh, hi Amy! I didn't know you were supposed to come…." She looked at me, confused.

"Well, I didn't know either, Mum and Amy planned that together." I said, with a smile.

"Well, that's a nice surprise! Come in Amy! I am really glad to meet you. Steve, this is Amy, Sheldon's girlfriend. Amy, this is my boyfriend, Steve."

We all had a very nice evening. Amy spoke a lot with Missy. I could not hear much of what they were talking about, but judging by how often either of them glanced in my direction, I'd say I was one of the main sometimes joined the conversation. Steve talked to George and I about all his travels around the World when he was a professional tennis player. George was really impressed, and I have to admit I found it quite entertaining. We left quite late, but it really had been a relaxing moment for everyone.

When we got home, Mum said she was exhausted. She showed Amy around quickly, especially the bathroom and where she was going to sleep, then she went to bed. Amy's room was next to mine. It was my brother's former room. We went back together to the living room. I prepared some tea and we talked for an hour before going to bed. Amy told me that she could talk to Meemaw's doctor. He explained to her what was going on, what kind of tests they had run, what the results were… He said she could meet with him tomorrow morning, and even be there when the speech therapist would meet Meemaw. Amy asked me if I thought Meemaw would agree, and I nodded. Once we finished our tea, we both went to bed. Amy's appointment with the doctor was at 9am, so I told her to be ready to leave around 8.15am. If Mum could not drive us, then we'd go with a cab. I walked her to her door and before she could say anything, I placed my hands on her waist, leant and kissed her on the lips. Her lips were even softer than I remembered from our previous kisses a week ago. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of her mouth against mine. I pulled away slowly and said "Thanks so much for everything Amy." then I placed my arms around her shoulders and hugged her to me. She laid her head against my shoulder, her arms wrapped around my waist. It felt so good. I could have stayed like that for hours, but then she pulled away slowly.

"Goodnight Sheldon, see you tomorrow." She said smoothly, sneaking into her room.


	15. 15: The Stroke Consequences Conjecture

** "Amy, dear, I'd like you to come here with us all for the weekend. Sheldon's siblings want to meet you, and I am pretty sure Sheldon would love having you here with him. Please say yes. Mary Cooper".**

When I received that text message on Thursday afternoon, I just could not believe my eyes. His mother wanted me to come to Texas. Penny might be right, Mrs Cooper appreciated me after all, despite our first meeting over 2 years ago. I wanted so much to accept her invitation and just go. I just wanted to be with him, to see where he grew up, to meet his family… I had missed him so much this week. Every night, after having skyped with him, I fell asleep with the memory of the taste of his lips on mine. For a week, I did not sleep well at night and I had become very moody even at work or with the girls, as Penny pointed out several times. I was so tempted to go…

Technically, there was no reason why I could not go at once; we had held our last project meeting of the week today and I had already arranged to work from home tomorrow, as I was to drive Penny to the airport in the morning. But I could not help thinking that if he wanted me to come to Houston, he would have asked me to. Mrs Cooper's message was very clear: Sheldon did not know about his her initiative. I know that he does not like surprises. How will he react when he sees me there, when he realizes that her mother and I have been in touch and planned it behind his back? Things have been going so well between us for around a month now, I did not want to risk spoiling everything. I had to be careful never to push him too far for fear that I'd scare him. Because he could not ignore that meeting his family was a huge step forward. Of course, I have already met his mother and he has met mine, but that was before the two of us got together officially. Now it was different, especially at that moment of our relationship. Was he ready to move forward, to commit that much? Then again we had spent the whole week virtually together. It was as if we just could not stay away from each other. And most of the calls and text messages came from him. And there were all the steps forward since last month, these were proofs of his emotional commitment: the Dungeons and Dragons game, the experiment, the kisses, the hug, these had all been initiated by him. So maybe he was ready after all?

And in addition to wanting to go there to comfort my boyfriend, there was another very important reason why I wanted to go: his grandmother. Not only had I always wanted to meet her, but I felt I could be of some help there. After all, she suffered from aphasia and I was a brain specialist who had written a paper as a young researcher on the brain's resilience, involving much research on aphasia and the recovery methods. I felt I really had to go, at least for her. And I had promised Sheldon I'd contact her doctor, it would definitely be easier to meet him there, and follow the progress directly there.

I decided to call Mrs Cooper to talk to her about my doubts. It took exactly two minutes for her to convince me to come. I hung up with her and went online to book my flight for tomorrow. There were several choices, most of them with stopovers either in Phoenix, Denver or Austin. Suddenly I got an idea: Penny was leaving tomorrow morning for Omaha, and her stopover was in Phoenix. I checked if there were still seats on her flight, and there were. I called her to check if she was okay with the idea flying together, and she was actually excited about it. So I booked it. We were both leaving from LAX at 10am tomorrow morning. Then I sent all my flight details to Mrs Cooper, who replied she'd be there to collect me at 5.30pm. Then I called Penny back to explain to her the whole deal, and ask her for her opinion on my going there.

"Ames, don't even hesitated one second, just go! You know you want to. Anyways, your head has been there for the whole damn week!"

"But you know how he is sometimes… He might panic… be mad at me…"

"Amy, he won't. And knowing Mary Cooper as I do, I can assure you the lady knows what she is doing when it comes to her son. If she asks you to come, that's because she knows that's what he wants." Penny said.

Penny had made a good point. "Thanks Penny. You may be right." I hung up after we arranged pick up time for tomorrow, then I switched off my phone so I would not have to lie to Sheldon in case he called tonight.

I picked Penny up early in the morning. I had decided I'd leave my car at the airport's parking lot, and then we had breakfast together in the terminal. It was nice flying with Penny. We managed to sit next to each other and chatted for the whole flight. Ever since she had decided to go to Omaha, Penny had felt much better. She had not reached to a decision yet, but at least she had figured out what the problem was and was positive she'd find the solution at home, with her parents and the whole family. Once in Phoenix, Penny and I quickly parted; we both had to run to catch our second flight. We kissed and wished each other a safe flight. We promised to keep in touch and keep each other updated.

I arrived in Houston on time and waited for ten minutes outside of the airport. My phone had not stopped vibrating ever since I landed. It was Sheldon, he obviously understood I was avoiding his calls and insisted. And suddenly I saw them. Sheldon got out of the car with a look of surprise on his face and came to meet me. I was very anxious at that moment. Then he started smiling and hugged me and I felt better. He told me he had missed me and that he was glad I was there, that he had been worried because he could not reach me all morning. Then we walked back to the car, where his mother greeted me, and we all left to his sister's for dinner. On our way, Sheldon did not stop talking, glancing and smiling at me.

For dinner, Steve and Missy had prepared a cold buffet. I spent most of my time with Sheldon's twin sister Missy and their mother. And not one second I felt judged by either of them. On the contrary, it was like they accepted me immediately as a family member. We talked a lot about Sheldon, of course, and although I am pretty sure he got it, he did not say a thing nor looked annoyed; he even looked quite glad to see us enjoying each other's company. I also spoke a little with Sheldon's brother, George. Physically, George looks a lot like Sheldon, especially the blue eyes. Except that George is definitely more tanned, and more muscular than his brother. Ashe was talking to me about the city he lives in, Galveston, and telling me I should go and visit some day, Sheldon suddenly appeared next to me and put his hand in mine. Then he said he'd take me there during the week end, as it was indeed a very nice place. But I could see in his eyes that this gesture meant a little more; I so love it when he is jealous. I shouldn't probably but I think it is so sexy. His brother obviously got the message as he smiled gently and walked away.

We got home quite late, but Sheldon and I stayed a little longer in the living room. He kept me updated about his grandmother and I told him I had spoken to the doctor and had made an appointment for the day after. I felt so good being there with him, in the house where he grew up. When came the moment to go to bed, I wanted to lay a kiss on his cheek, but he moved faster and kissed me on the lips. H_e pressed his lips slightly on mine_. I was taken back at first, but then closed my eyes; I was in heaven. Pulling away, he thanked me for being here then held me tight in his arms for a few minutes, until I broke the embrace. Then after saying goodnight, I got into my room. I could not believe how tender Sheldon had been all evening. He told me a few times he was glad I was there, hugged me at the airport and then again a few minutes ago, he had held my hand and last but not least he had kissed mevery tenderly. Our relationship had stayed at a standstill for years; and now it was going quite fast. Sheldon did not even seem to care about what other people thought about it, not even his family. I loved it but I was a bit scared that at some point he would panic and back out. It would be so difficult for me now to just go back where we were. But I knew it was a risk when we talked about the experiment and I had accepted it.

In the morning, Mary let us use her car to go to the hospital early. As we arrived, Dr Roberts was waiting for us in his office. Sheldon asked if he could go and see his grandmother as the two of us talked, and Dr Roberts agreed to it. He was a small man with brown hair, in his late fifties. I introduced myself and thanked him for receiving me because he really did not have to. He explained to me again what I had figured out through Sheldon's report: it was indeed an ischemic stroke, located in Broca's area, which resulted in an expressive aphasia. So far, the patient had not talked properly, only mumbled a little. Dr Roberts had waited for a few days, to see if she'd start forming words spontaneously, but four days had passed and there had been no progress. That was why he decided to have the speech therapist meet Sheldon's grandmother at 10.30am today: it was time to decide what therapy would suit her best to begin with. The most important now was to make sure she could communicate properly with her family and her caregivers. I entirely agreed with Dr Roberts' analysis, he obviously knew what he was doing. I asked him if he minded if I attended the session, to which he replied that I should ask the therapist, but as far as he was concerned, he had no objection. I left Dr Roberts' office, and went directly to Sheldon's grandmother's room. As I got nearer, I heard Sheldon's voice. He was apparently reading a book to her. I listened carefully and I could distinguish the following lines:

**Elizabeth was surprised, but said not a word. After a silence of several minutes, he came towards her in an agitated manner, and thus began:  
"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."**

Oh my God, Sheldon was reading Pride and Prejudice to his grandmother! How sweet! I have to admit that I had never pictured Sheldon as Mr Darcy, but I could not help grinning at the irony of hearing say these particular last lines. I entered the room. Sheldon was sitting on the left of his grandmother. As he heard me, he got up and came to meet me at the door.

"So?" he whispered "What did he say? What do you think?"

"I think Dr Roberts knows exactly what he is doing and your grandmother is in great hands."He looked glad. "The speech therapist will be here in a half hour, I will ask him if I can attend the session."

"Thanks Amy." Then he took my hand and started heading towards the bed "Come, I'll introduce you to Meemaw." As we stood next to the bed, his grandmother looking at me with a smile "Meemaw, this is Amy, and Amy this is Meemaw!"

"I'm glad to meet you madam!"

She looked at Sheldon, frowning. He immediately turned to me "Amy, she wants you to call her Meemaw."

"Alright, sorry, it is really nice meeting you Meemaw!" She smiled again and nodded.

"I resumed reading the book we started yesterday. This is Meemaw's favorite book. It is called…."

"Pride and Prejudice" I said "I heard you. You read it even better than the Genetics book".

He grinned. "Please Amy sit down." I sat next to him.

"Meemaw, as I told you, Amy arrived yesterday, it was a surprise." He went on "Meemaw, I believe I have already told you that Amy was a brain specialist. Well, do you mind if she stays with you during your appointment with the speech therapist? She knows a lot about aphasia, maybe she could help? What do you think?"

Meemaw looked at me and blinked once.

"Alright, that's great. Thanks Meemaw." I said "in the meantime, Sheldon, maybe you could keep reading for the two of us?" I smiled at him. Meemaw blinked once again.

"Well, if it's two against one, alright, I will read for you ladies." And he went on, as Mr Darcy expressed his restrained love to Elizabeth Bennet.

He was only interrupted by the doctor and the therapist knocking at the door a half hour later. Dr Roberts introduced Dr Steele to the three of us. I renewed my request and Dr Steele agreed to let me stay. Then Sheldon said he'd wait outside as he would be of no help here, and left. I let Dr Roberts and Dr Steele come close to Meemaw, and I stood one step back as they asked her many questions, most of which were part of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination. But as Meemaw was not able to speak yet, it was quite short. They simply checked how much she could understand, hear and see. She actually did quite well. Then they asked her to try writing, which she couldn't. She could not even hold the pen properly. Then they asked her to try opened her mouth and started mumbling, but we could not understand anything she said. It meant she also had dysarthria, or difficulties to articulate, and that was what the speech therapist would have to work on first. It was difficult for Meemaw, as it usually is for people suffering from Broca's aphasia; she was aware of her difficulties and wondered if it would go back to normal someday. I could see tears in her eyes as the specialists were talking together about her condition. It broke my heart so I got closer to her and held her hand. She looked at me sadly and blinked once.

Once they had finished the prognosis, it was clear that Meemaw's anaphasia was not alarming, although no real treatment could start before she could either speak or write or both. Dr Roberts told her she would have to stay one more week at the hospital, but could probably go home after that. Dr Steele said that in the meantime he would come for one hour every day to start working together to reduce the dysarthria and find a communication method that suited her.

They both took leave and got out of the room; before leaving, Dr Roberts asked me not to stay too long in order to let Meemaw rest a little, but he confirmed that visits would be allowed as usual from 2pm to 5pm. I was still standing next to Meemaw with her hand in mine. As I could read in her eyes that not everything the doctors had said was clear, I sat down and slowly explained to her what was going on. I told her that she should not worry about it, that it usually took time to go back to normal and that I had seen many people like hers, even people her age, who managed to speak again after a few days, weeks or months. I tried to speak as smoothly as I could. She was staring at me and I could tell she was slowly relaxing as I spoke. I told her I had to go now, but that everyone would be here to see her this afternoon. She blinked once, put her second hand on mine before letting it go. As I reached the doorframe, I saw that Sheldon was standing behind it, with tears in his eyes. He caught my hand as I passed by and led me outside.

**A/N: Thanks so much for the lovely reviews. Please keep letting me know what you think about the story. Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading it. I'll try to post next chapter by the end of the weekend.**


	16. 16: The Experiment Assessment

_Meemaw had been in that room with the doctors for almost an hour now. They were in there trying to determine what kind of progress can likely be expected both in the short term and in the long term. I had been walking back and forth in the hospital for the whole time. I was so nervous. My only comfort was that Amy was in there with her. I could not stop thinking about my Meemaw. She had been so strong all week, never complaining, always following the doctor's instructions. But I knew she was scared and it was breaking my heart. I would give anything just to comfort her properly, to be able to make her feel better, but I didn't know how. I felt so frustrated about it because my Meemaw had always been there for me and there I was, so helpless, useless. All I could do was trying my best not to show how worried I was, but it was not easy. I also knew it did appease her when I read to her, so I tried to do it whenever I had an opportunity. But her favorite moment was definitely when we are all there with her. Which was all the more heartbreaking when we had to leave her alone in that room at the end of visiting least, Amy confirmed that the doctor seemed to know what he was doing, which was a relief. Now I hoped that the speech doctor would be able to help her recovering all of her abilities. I wanted my Meemaw back to her normal self, I just wanted her to be happy again._

_Here they came finally. I asked Dr Roberts what his prognosis was, and he told me he was very confident, that all the tests he and Dr Steele just performed confirmed what he had already guessed from the scans. He told me that it was just a matter of time, but she would probably speak again. I was relieved. Then he told me that Amy was still in there with Meemaw but that he'd prefer if we didn't stay too we could come back at the usual visiting hours this afternoon.I walked towards the door and was about to get inside when I saw Amy sitting next to Meemaw, leant over her, her hand on Meemaw's. She was speaking very softly, her eyes in Meemaw's. Although I could not hear distinctly what she was saying, except for a few words here and there, I could tell that she was comforting my Meemaw. I loved Amy's tone of voice; it reminded me how she had talked to me that Friday at my office when I learnt about Meemaw's stroke. I wished it would work with Meemaw as well as it had worked with me: that day, Amy had been able both to comfort me and give me enough strength to stand up and fight. I stood there for a few minutes, spying on them. My Meemaw and my girlfriend were in there together, bonding. Finally they had met. I had been thinking about that moment for quite some time now; I often wondered whether they would get along. Now I had my answer, and I was so glad. Meemaw had been asking me repeatedly to come to Texas with Amy, but I was afraid to do so, I don't know why. Then after that past week, I had no more hesitation: I had to introduce the two of them, they were both so important in my life, I knew they would get along. As I was watching them like that, I felt tears building up in my eyes._

When Amy finally got out of the room, I could see that Meemaw had a smile on her face. I grabbed Amy's arm and we left the hospital without a word. I was in shock, speechless; Amy had been able to do what I simply couldn't for my own grandmother; she had reassured her, given her hope. Of course, it helped that she was a trained neurobiologist, able to make the connection between what was happening and what she had already witnessed. But it was more than that. I could not hold the emotion anymore and felt the tears roll down my cheeks.

As we got inside the car, Amy turned to me "Sheldon, are you alright? I'm sorry, did I do something that offended you? Meemaw seemed lost, and I just wanted to help her, so I grabbed her hand and talked to her. I don't understand what is troubling you, but I'm sorry if I did something wrong…"

"Wrong?" I looked at her with a smile "Amy, what you did…..Well, it's just that….when I saw you with Meemaw, when I heard you talking to her so gently…"

"Yes?"

"Well, I just … " I paused " I just wanted to thank you so much about everything. I am so glad you came. And so glad…. that I have you in my life." I managed to say, unable to leave her gaze.

Amy seemed stunned. "Well, thank you Sheldon. I did not do much really, I just felt that your poor Meemaw was a bit lost with all the doctors jargon, so I explained to her that everything was going to be alright."

"That's just the point Amy. You have done so much. I was very frustrated because for the whole week I have not been able to comfort her properly, and then you came and you have done wonders again." I paused for a minute, reaching for a tissue to dry my tears then pulling myself together, I changed the subject, "Okay, so now let's go back to Mum's. She said she'd wait for us to have lunch."

When we arrived, Mum had indeed prepared lunch for us. Amy explained with many details both her talk with the doctor and Meemaw's first session with the speech therapist.

Then she added "There is something more I need to tell you, but it is not easy." I could tell she was reluctant to speak up.

"Yes Amy?" I asked, a bit worried about what she might say.

"Well, patients suffering from that sort of aphasia are very aware of what is going on, and it is very difficult for them to accept the fact that they are no longer exactly how they used to be."She stopped for a second then resumed "One of the main dangers after a stroke is depression. You have to pay great attention to how she reacts and if you have the feeling that she is discouraged, that she questions the outcome of the therapy, do not hesitate talking to her doctor about it." Amy's tone was very serious as she said so. Both Mum and I nodded, saying we'd be very careful about that.

_After lunch, as Mum did the wash up, helped by Amy, I went online to book my flights back. We would both fly back to Los Angeles tomorrow evening from 7pm. Then the three of us drove together to the hospital, where we met up with George and Missy. Meemaw welcomed us all with a grin. As we were about to get inside the room, Amy asked me if I preferred her to leave us Coopers together; I told her with no hesitation whatsoever that she belonged in there with the years, I have discovered so many qualities in Amy that I like, but I think what I like most is how thoughtful she is. Just the way she handled my Meemaw's despair, or how she was available for me all the week, how she checked with Mum if I'd be okay with her coming to Texas… She knows that I live by habits and routines, and she never wants to impose herself if she is aware it may disrupt my habits. Interestingly, I am beginning to realize that I have less and less problems with her disrupting it._

_Thoughtfulness is only one of Amy's many assets. She is brilliant, successful in her career, passionate about science and pretty of course, but she is also patient, full of empathy and outgoing. I love having her around me because I feel stronger with her, I love talking to her, I love that intimacy between us, and I am getting more and more comfortable with physical contacts between us. I definitely need to talk to her tonight, let her know what's in my heart._

_Meemaw seemed so happy with us all around her. She looked exhausted, but also more relaxed than usual, probably from her talk with Amy. Mum had brought family pictures so we started remembering happy moments together. That is funny, I did not spontaneously remember that many happy moments with my siblings, nor with my mother and father. But as we watched all these pictures, it all came back to me. And Amy looked very interested by the pictures and stories._

"Do you have siblings Amy?" Missy asked.

"No, at home it was just Mother and I. I had many aunts, uncles and cousins though."

"Where did you grow up?" Missy followed on.

"California. I have always lived in the Los Angeles area."

"Does your mother still live there?" Mum jumped in.

"No, she lives in Palms Springs with my stepfather."

"Please Mum, Missy stop interrogating Amy like that." I stepped in, noticing Amy's trouble. I had already noticed that she did not like talking about her family. I think it only brings back bad memories. "Missy, wasn't Steve supposed to come with you today?"

"Well, yes, but he is giving tennis lessons up to 4pm. He will come later."

Then the conversation moved back to the pictures, and I felt Amy's discomfort go away. Gosh, how I hate it when she is sad.

Steve indeed arrived after 4pm, and then all of us were there. Meemaw and her clan all united. When visiting time was over, as we all left, Mum invited everyone to her house for dinner.

"I'm sorry Mum, but Amy and I have other plans for tonight. So you will have to do without us."

"Do we?" Amy asked.

"Yes, we do." I said firmly staring at her with a smile "Mum, do you think we could use your car again tonight?"

"Sure Shelly. You kids have fun."

Then we said goodbye to everyone and I asked Amy to follow me.

"Where are we going?" she asked

"Well, to a place I really loved as a kid. And I know you will like it as well."

I gave her the directions and we reached our destination within thirty minutes.

"This place is called the Kemah Boardwalk. I loved to come here as a child. It the best fun fair in the area. There are a few rides, fun games, and restaurants. And walking down the boardwalk is very nice too. "

"That's a lovely idea Sheldon."

"Do you like rides? My favorite one is the Boardwalk Bullet! Shall we go? I promise, it is not too brutal."

"Alright then. Let's go." She said hesitantly.

We had lots of fun on the rides. It felt really good after such a tough day. We rode the Bullet, and then the wheel, the carrousel and of course replica of the CP Huntington train. Then we went for dinner at Bubba Gump's.

"I am sorry Amy, there is no fancy restaurant around here. But the seafood is good in this one." I apologized as we sat at a table outside.

"That's fine Sheldon, I am just glad we are here together, just the two of us. And the view is very beautiful."

We both ordered Cajun shrimps.

Then when the waiter left, I got going "Amy, there is something I would like to talk to you about."

"Yes, Sheldon?"

"Okay. Amy, two weeks ago, we started an experiment which consisted in initiating casual physical contacts between the two of us." She nodded "Well, maybe after two weeks, it is time to give each other feedbacks?"

She nodded."Alright then. You start."

"On the first day, you kissed me on my cheek as I was leaving. I liked the contact of your lips on my cheek. Then we both kissed each other on the lips. I have to admit I enjoyed it even more. As a matter of fact, Amy, I have been thinking about these kisses a lot when we were apart last week. "

I could tell that she was somewhat surprised by my outspokenness. And I have to admit, so was I. "Well, I also enjoyed it, really. And I can confess to you that I have been thinking about it a lot as well."

"Then when you came to my office that day, I initiated a comforting hug with you. That felt good to have you against me, you don't know how much better I felt after that. And when you held my hands a moment after, it gave me so much courage. I never thought that could be that comforting."

"Well, that was the point, Sheldon. I am glad it worked. I felt so bad seeing you like that, and I am glad that you trusted me enough let me comfort you."

"Then there was the week we were apart; I have to confess something to you Amy: I missed you. I know that we kept in touch through the phone. But I missed you terribly, and I never thought I'd say that but I missed the physical contacts with you. "I stared at her "What about you Amy? Please tell me you felt the same way" I realized I was almost begging, but I had to know.

"Sheldon, it has been very difficult being away from you, especially because I knew you were going through difficult times. Penny said I was very moody last week, and that was just because you were away." She still had her eyes in mine.

I went on "Amy, the kiss last night, and the hugs, the hand holding earlier today, I mean, everything is going faster now. I just wanted you to know that it felt really natural for me. I do have problems with human contacts in general, though the thing is it seems I have no problem touching you. That's rather the opposite actually."

She was staring at me, obviously wondering what my point was.

"To be honest Amy, having been away from you for a week, having you here in my hometown, in my childhood house with me, seeing you interact with my family, comforting my Meemaw when I am not able to…. Amy I really feel comfortable with you. I just wanted to make sure that you feel comfortable with me as well."

"Well of course Sheldon."

"Because I don't know, lately I have been the only one making moves, and yesterday you broke the embrace quite suddenly. Do you have a problem with the whole experiment? Is it going too fast for you now? Do you have second thoughts about it, about us?"

She closed her eyes for a second, then answered gently "Sheldon, I don't have second thoughts about the relationship. I am comfortable with you and this pace is fine. Maybe at first I was surprised that you changed so fast and were initiating contacts more often. But it did feel good, all the kisses, hand holding, hugs… I just loved it." She paused for a minute, drank some water, and went on "It is just that I am afraid that it could stop any minute if suddenly you panic and you step back." She added, like in a whisper, her eyes fixed on the table "It would be too painful for me now if you were to step back, Sheldon. And the closer we get, the harder it would be."

"Amy" I said, leaning a little and trying to capture her gaze again "I won't step back. I am not panicking, and I am not going to panic. I want you to trust me."

"This week has been emotionally charged for you, Sheldon. I don't want to take advantage of the situation to make you do things you wouldn't normally do. That's not who I am. " she said, with such sincerity in her beautiful green eyes.

"I know that is not who you are, Amy, I know you; And I admit this week has been a very special week in my life, but the only thing that made me go through it was knowing you were there with me. And what I said earlier, in the car, you know, that I was glad to have you in my life… well I was emotionally shaken then, I won't deny it but I meant every word." I smiled at her "Amy, I am willing to keep on with the experiment, because I have enjoyed every moment of it; only if you want to of course."

"Sheldon if you are sure you want to pursue, then I could not be happier. I really love feeling so close to you, being able to kiss you from time to time, even just walking holding hands is so sweet."

"So we both agree: we keep on moving at a pace that seems natural. But please, don't hold back in case it might not work, have a little faith in me."

She nodded, with tears in her eyes "I am so glad we talked Sheldon."

"So am I. Amy, you are the best girlfriend ever. I don't tell you often enough, but you are."

Then the waiter came with our plates. When we finished dinner, we went for a little walk on the boardwalk. She took my hand in hers, intertwining her fingers with mine. With that simple gesture, I could tell that our little talk had allowed clarifying a few she knew where I stood and that I did not feel pressured in any way. And I knew that her reluctance was only due to her doubts about me. And I couldn't blame her for that, I had been unsure of myself for a long time. But now I knew.

Then by the end of the pier, we kissed again, like the night before. Although this time, I decided to experiment a little more; I gently _partedher lips_ with mine _and let my tongue_ slip inside her mouth and swirl with hers. I had never felt anything like that before; it was just so passionate. She was tangling her fingers in my hair as my hands found their way to her back, clinching her tightly. Then I pulled away, breathless. "Amy, I think we should stop now. Or it will get out of control, and we are in a public place." I smiled and she smiled back.

"Dr Cooper, that was amazing. I hope we will do that again someday."

"I think we will. Now let's go back home."

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, I really helps me going on. Okay, this one was a bit longer, but I just could not do otherwise, there were so many things I wanted to say. I hope you liked it. I am quite anxious to know what you guys think, I hope you don't think Sheldon is too much out of character now. I just think the past week made him realize quite a few things about his life.**

**I don't know when I can post the next chapter, but I'll try to post it before Wednesday.**


	17. The Necessary Clarification Sublimation

_As we were on our way to the car, I had mixed feelings about Sheldon's idea to spend the evening out together, just the two of us. On the one hand, I was glad because it was not very often that Sheldon suggested that we should go out on a date. And he had picked a place that he liked to go to as a kid. I was looking forward to discovering what his plans were. And I liked it that he was willing to share elements of his childhood with me. Also it had been quite a busy day and usually I know no better way to relax than spending quality time with my boyfriend. On the other hand, I was very anxious about it because ever since I arrived in Texas, I have felt a bit uncomfortable around Sheldon. Of course, I came here to be with him, to support him, and I still loved being with him; but at the same time, I had the feeling that I should be very careful not to initiate or let him initiate anything right now. The current situation was very delicate and I didn't want our relationship to progress while he was obviously emotional and vulnerable. So when he initiated contacts this week end, I tried to hold back. I want our progress to be organic and agreed together. I wouldn't want to take advantage of his transient weakness to make him do things he would not even consider in Pasadena. _

_Since I have known Sheldon, and especially since we've become girlfriend/boyfriend, he has never stopped making one step forwards and three steps backwards as far as our relationship was concerned. Of course there has been the D&D night a month ago, and his proposition to experiment physical contacts two weeks ago; since then, he has never stopped moving forwards. But I was still scared he might panic and move backwards again. What would he do after this week when things would come back to normal? _

Tonight, Sheldon had chosen to take me to a funfair by the ocean. We spent an hour on the rides. Even though I usually don't like it that much, I enjoyed it, and Sheldon was just so excited about it all, that was really cute. Afterwards, we had dinner in a seafood restaurant in the facility. As we had just ordered our food, I understood why Sheldon was so eager to spend the evening one-on-one. He had noticed my ambivalent attitude, and wanted to know what was going on. He even wondered if I had second thoughts about our relationship. I was taken aback as I did not expect to have that talk tonight. But considering how straightforward he had been with me, I told him exactly how I felt. And soon we were having this serious talk about our relationship. Sheldon revealed that he was more and more at ease with physical intimacy and display of affection. He wanted to make sure if I was comfortable as well because he said he was willing to carry on at the same pace. He said so many sweet things, I could not believe it, for instance that he was happy to have me in his life, and that I was the best girlfriend ever. Basically he told me that he was committed, that he was not about to give up on me and asked me to have faith in him. I'm glad that we had that talk; it made me feel so much better to know what he was thinking. We had our dinner, feeling both relieved and happy to be together. After dinner, we went out for a romantic walk on the boardwalk, until at some point he stopped, leaned forward, placed his arms around me and drew me into a languid and passionate kiss.

_I really love the new side of Sheldon, the one that takes charge and communicates. And I love being able to touch him, feel him and kiss him from time to time. It's even better when he is the one initiating the contact. I realize now that I missed all that during the first years of our relationship. But maybe I appreciate it all the more now because of these past years._

As we got back home, we found his mother sitting on a chair in the living room, knitting and watching TV. She asked us where we had been, so we explained to her that we went to Kemah and had dinner there. Sheldon and I sat on the couch and started watching TV with her, chatting a little about everything and nothing. After a while, Sheldon said he would go and prepare chamomile for the three of us. Mary and I remained together in the room. Suddenly, she stopped knitting and sat at the edge of her chair, leaning towards me, almost whispering.

"Amy, there are things I wanted to tell you, and I'd rather talk to you when Sheldon is not around."

"What is it, Mary?" I asked, leaning as well.

"Amy, I want to thank you for what you did for my family this week. First of all, for Mother. I really appreciated that you talked to the doctors and explained to us a little more about what was going on. I want you to know that was not the reason why I asked you to come, but it was really nice of you doing it. That was really comforting, to her and to all of us."

"Mary, you don't have to thank me, that was nothing, really, and I was glad if I could help, you have all been so nice to me since I arrived." I replied, blushing.

"I also want to thank you for my Shelly." She carried on, looking at me straight in the eyes "For years, I have prayed our Lord for my son to find the right person for him. I am so glad that he found you. He has always been someone quite special, and he never really bonded with anyone except his Meemaw and myself. Maybe to some extent with Leonard and Penny; but seeing him with you, well, I realized there was a side of my Shelly that I did not even suspect, and that I really like. I love the way Sheldon has been with us this week, and I know we owe it to you. "I tried to protest but she went on "And I want to thank you for being there for him, in general but especially this past week. I know it was important for Shelly to have you, and that is why I wanted you to come here with us." I was speechless, moved by her words.

I smiled at her "Thanks for your kind words Mary. I will always be there for Sheldon." I hesitated, but went on "You know, I love him very much."

"I know dear. And I know he loves you too."

As she had just finished talking, Sheldon came back with our tea. He probably guessed that we had been talking about him, considering how silent the two of us suddenly became as he got in; but he pretended not to and poured our tea. We stayed there for about one more hour, absent-mindedly watching the documentary about whales' migration shown on The Discovery Channel while chatting.

As the three of us were standing up and about to go to bed, Mary turned to me and said "Amy, dear, tomorrow morning, I am going to church. I guess Sheldon is not coming" then she looked at him and saw him shaking his head "do you want to come with me?"

"Well, Mary, I'm sorry but I am not at all into religion…" I blushed a little.

"Told ya" Sheldon said proudly to his mother.

She ignored Sheldon's remark "That's alright dear, none of my children are into it either, and God did I try!" She frowned "In that case, Missy proposed to take you out for a brunch. Shelly does not like brunches, hence I assume he won't go, so it would be just the two of you girls. Is it okay with you?"

"Well….." I began, looking questioningly at Sheldon.

"I will be working tomorrow morning, so you can go if you want to." He replied.

"In that case, yes, I'd like that." I said with a smile.

"Missy said she'd pick you up here at 11am."

"Perfect, thanks Mary."

"Shelly" she turned to Sheldon "as tomorrow is your last day here, neither Missy, George or I will go and visit Meemaw; we will let you children go on your own, so you can spend more intimate time with her."

"Oh Thanks Mum, how thoughtful of you! I'd love that!" Sheldon smiled.

"Good night Shelly. Amy, come to my room and I'll give you Missy's phone number so you can confirm with her."

I followed Mary to her room. Sheldon said goodnight to the two of us and disappeared in his.

I got back to my room with Missy's phone number, but I was a bit frustrated not having been able to say goodnight to Sheldon properly… then I realized how avid I had become. The kiss at the pier had been so awesome, and I was asking for more... I smiled, remembering that kiss, when my phone started vibrating.

**"****Goodnight Amy. Thanks for this evening, I really enjoyed it. xo S"**

**"****Goodnight Sheldon. I enjoyed it as well. Glad we talked. xo A"**

I woke up early the next morning; when I went downstairs at around 8am, clean, dressed and carrying my computer briefcase, Sheldon was already in the living room, working on his computer.

"Good morning Sheldon!" I said, sitting next to him on the couch.

"Hey good morning Amy! You did not have to wake up that early, you could have slept a little longer. I hope I did not wake you up. I tried to be as quiet as possible, I'm sorry."

"No don't worry Sheldon, I did not hear you. I have to work this morning as well. I haven't done anything so far since I arrived and I had promised the team I'd have something to present to them tomorrow morning."

Mary came from the kitchen "Good morning Honey! Do you want something for breakfast? I'm making scrambled eggs for both Shelly and myself."

"No thanks Mary. Or maybe just tea. "

"Just tea?" Sheldon asked.

"Well, I'm having brunch later, I'd better not eat beforehand."

"Oh yes, I forgot". He said.

"Alright. Shelly, breakfast will be ready in a minute. I'm preparing tea for you Amy, come anytime."

I left my computer on the coffee table and headed for the kitchen following Sheldon. After breakfast, I managed to work for a couple of hours before Missy came. Mary left at 9am and Sheldon and I remained together in the living room, working in silence.

Missy and I had brunch in Crackers Barrel, just outside Alvin.

"Thanks for inviting me for brunch, Missy, that was a good idea."

"You're welcome, I've always liked this place, you'll see, their food is excellent."

" I regret that Sheldon would not come with us." I said.

"I have to be honest with you Amy! I knew that Sheldon would not come for brunch, he has never liked that. And although he's changed a lot lately, I was pretty sure that would not change."

"Oh" I was surprised.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you, alone. I am so glad that there is another woman my age in the family now!"

"Well, I'm not exactly part of the family, but thanks." I replied, blushing.

We placed our order. I went for a Berries and Buttermilk Pancake Breakfast, and Missy chose the Grandpa's country fried Breakfast.

"So now Amy, please tell me, what's your secret?" She asked, grinning.

"I don't understand what you mean?"

"How did you manage to make Shelly change like that?"

"Oh!" I didn't know what to say " I don't know, I didn't do anything actually. "

"I'm teasing you a little, but it's just that I was so surprised this whole week, he was so different. Well, he still is the same old Shelly for a few things, but his general attitude is different."

"Different good or different bad?"

"Oh definitely different good!" She paused as the waitress brought our orders. "Anyways I am really glad that you could come over this weekend, so we could finally meet."

"Thanks for welcoming me; the whole family has been so nice to me."

"Well, like I said, you are family now, or almost. I never thought I would see my twin brother in love someday, and here he is, crazy about you."

I was blushing even more at this remark. Missy noticed it and switched to another topic. She asked news about our friends in California. She said that she had met them all and thought they were all very nice but a bit weird. Except Penny that had welcomed her at her place for a couple of days. She laughed when I told her that Howard got married last year, and was glad for Raj that he could finally talk to women. She was surprised about Leonard and Penny, but I told them they were doing great together. Missy promised she'd come and visit someday, and I told her she was welcome to stay at my place.

Missy drove me back home where she stayed with her mother for the whole afternoon. Sheldon was waiting for me in the living room when we came back. I asked him to wait for me for a few minutes, as I need to call someone, and finish packing. He frowned and said he'd wait for me downstairs. I came back after fifteen minutes. I said goodbye to Mary and thanked her again for inviting me, to which she replied that I was welcome anytime and I hugged Missy. Sheldon hugged them both and we left.

Sheldon and I drove to the hospital in Mary's car. We would leave it at the hospital's parking lot, leave the keys in Meemaw's room and get a cab at 5pm to go to the airport. As much as Sheldon had enjoyed spending time with his siblings, he was quite happy being able to spend that last afternoon with his Meemaw, just the three of us. Before we got to the hospital, I asked Sheldon if he agreed to leave me alone with Meemaw for around thirty minutes today. I told him that I had talked to a colleague of mine who is a neuropsychologist and that there were some exercises that I would like to try working on with Meemaw. I told him there was absolutely no guarantee that it would work, but that I'd like to try. I told him that I had checked with her speech therapist and that he gave me permission. Sheldon agreed and we headed towards her room.

Meemaw looked quite well as we got in. And she was obviously happy to see us. We both kissed her and sat on each side of her bed. Sheldon warned her that we were leaving tonight, but that we'd spend the whole afternoon with her, just the three of us. She smiled, though it was pretty obvious she was sad that Sheldon had to leave. He promised he would come back to Texas as soon as possible. Then he asked us whether we wanted him to resume and finish reading the book, and both Meemaw and I nodded. It started with Elizabeth Bennetth meeting Georgiana Darcy. I loved hearing Sheldon read. He has such a melodious voice. I sometimes just closed my eyes and listened to his voice reading Jane Austen's lines. He managed to finish the book in just two hours. That story is just so romantic!

A few minutes after he closed the book, I turned to Meemaw and asked her if she'd agree to try a little exercise with me. Sheldon got up, kissed her, and said he'd go for a walk and would be back in a half hour. I sat closer to Meemaw and leant towards her. I explained to her what I wanted to try. Then I started. I asked her to move her tongue under her nose, then to try to reach her chin, several times. Then I asked her move it to the left, then to the right, several times. And I went on following exactly what Kate had told me to do. Then I asked Meemaw to try repeating a few sounds after me. I told her to carefully look at my mouth and asked her to copy me. She managed to make sounds come out of her mouth. Then I started associating the sounds in order to form words. And slowly she managed to say a few words. She was being very diligent, trying hard and so glad to read in my eyes that she was doing very well. Sounds did not come easily, she had to try very hard, but she could be understood. When Sheldon came back to the room, he looked at me questioningly. I smiled. He looked at Meemaw and following my instructions she managed to articulate: "Moonpie!" Sheldon looked at his Meemaw, with tears in his eyes. As he was hugging her, he looked at me and whispered "Thank you!"


	18. The Temporary Cohabitation Hypothesis

The drive to the airport and then the check in were uneventful. We were now in the food court area of the terminal, waiting for our flight. A one hour delay had already been announced, and the hostess had warned us that it would probably be a little longer. Amy and I had barely spoken since we left Meemaw's room. Hearing her say my nickname and seeing in her eyes how proud and full of hopes she was had really affected me deeply. And I owed it to Amy. Finally I broke the silence as Amy and I were having dinner at Pappadeaux's.

Clearing my voice "Amy, hearing Meemaw's voice again was just wonderful. And her first word being Moonpie was the cherry on the cake! Thanks so much for that."

"Sheldon, I told you, I didn't do anything. I just thought she might feel more confident starting the process with me rather than with therapist. Don't expect her to go back to normal immediately though, it is a long process and that was just the first step that we initiated this afternoon. Meemaw can form sounds, and even a few words, but she will have to work more with Dr Steele and be very patient. "

I appreciated both her honesty and her humility, but I did not want her to spoil my current enthusiasm "Anyways, now we know she can do it. You've given her hope, Amy. You are wonderful." I kept on, staring at her, smiling "And you have made quite an impression on my family in general I have to say…. They heap praises on you."

She smiled back, obviously intrigued "Really? What did they say?"

I teased her a little, taking my time before answering her question "Well…."

"Come on Sheldon, I want to know!"

I finally said "Well, if you really want to know, yesterday, before we left Missy's house, as we were saying goodbye, George told me that you were a keeper and to never let you go. He also made a joke that was definitely not funny about me giving you his number just in case."

Amy smiled "Oh, really? Will you give it to me?"

"Of course I won't, Amy Farrah Fowler!" I frowned, and then smiled back at her.

I went on "Then this afternoon, Missy sent me a text message just after we left the house. You can read it yourself if you want to!" and I handed her my phone.

It read "Shelly, don't you dare let that girl go or you'll hear from me! ;-) xoxo Missy."

Grinning Amy gave me my phone back "Well, you are warned!"

I nodded "Then this morning, before you got up, my mother told me that she was glad I found you, that she was happy for me, and that you were welcome here anytime." I blushed a little, and so did Amy.

"And then of course you definitely made a great impression on Meemaw. But I had spoken so much about you these past years! Actually, she liked you even before this week and all these awesome things you've done for her."

"They are so nice." Amy said. "I like them all Sheldon. And I like the way you are together. It is very different with my family. I don't understand why you said your childhood here was hell."

"Well, that's complicated. Let's say it was difficult being different from everyone else in my family in the first place. No one really understood me. But I cannot deny that I was loved by Meemaw, by PopPop and by my parents." I paused a few seconds "I must admit this week was probably the first time I really enjoyed spending time with my siblings" I hesitated but went on "Amy, you never talk about your family. Was your childhood that bad?"

"Oh." She placed her fork on her plate as she leant against the back of the chair to answer me "Well, I guess that was equally difficult being different in my family, and there was probably not as much love. Actually before Dad died, things were okay. Then it changed." She was looking very sad all of a sudden.

"How old were you when he died?"

"I was eleven years old."

"Where the two of you very close?"

"Extremely." She looked down to the table. "Then it has been just me and Mother for years and things got complicated. And even more when she remarried." She had tears in her eyes. She looked back up to me "Would you mind talking about something else, Sheldon, please?"

"I'm sorry, of course Amy." I felt bad having broached the subject in the first place. And I started giving her interesting facts about Pappadeaux's, and shrimps in general. She seemed to relax again.

Now that I know how Amy feels about her own family, I'm all the more glad that everyone in my family welcomed her so warmly. And I am really happy that she finally met them. Especially Meemaw. And the circumstances were such as they now have a special connection, and that's definitely the silver lining of the whole situation. I can't wait coming back with Amy so she and Meemaw can spend more time together and finally talk to each other properly.

Finally, the plane left Houston Intercontinental Airport two hours later than originally scheduled. Amy and I managed to sit next to each other in the plane, after I asked her neighbor if he'd mind switching seats with me. He agreed, and I could sit next to my girlfriend, by the window. At the airport, I had bought the latest issue of Classic Trains Magazine that I devoured during the flight. As for Amy, she was immersed in reading the latest edition of Neuron. From time to time, we talked to each other about interesting articles in our respective magazines. At mid flight, Amy fell asleep, and ended up laying her head on my shoulder. At first, I was surprised, not really knowing what to do but I did not say anything as she needed to rest. We remained like that for a few minutes. Then, feeling a bit sleepy myself, I delicately slid my arm behind her shoulders and laid my head on hers. Being disturbed in her sleep but still unconscious, she began to move. Moaning a little, she made herself comfortable, placing her head a little bit lower, on my chest this time and her hand on my stomach. The touch of her hand was so soft, it felt really nice. I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep. We were woken up abruptly by the voice of the chief flight attendant announcing our arrival in LAX. Realizing that the two of us had been cuddling while sleeping, she looked confused and apologized immediately. I said nothing but I think that she could read in my eyes and in my smile that I did not mind at all.

By the time we collected our luggage and made our way to the parking lot, it was already over midnight. Neither of us talked at all on the drive back, as we were both exhausted.

Once Amy stopped the engine in front of my apartment building, I said "Amy, you look exhausted. I don't want you to drive back home now. It's late and we've had a long day. Why don't you stay at mine and sleep in Leonard's room tonight?"

She looked at me skeptically "Well, I don't know. I am indeed very tired and to be honest with you, I don't feel like driving right now. And I happen to have spare clothes in my bag… I guess I could stay overnight at yours. "She paused, obviously hesitating" are you sure you don't mind, Sheldon?"

"Don't be silly Amy. Of course I don't mind." I said firmly.

We both walked up the four flights of stairs then got inside my apartment. I walked immediately towards the bathroom to get clean sheets and a towel, then I walked to Leonard's room. Amy followed me.

I handed the towel to her "Amy, you can use this. Go to the bathroom now if you want while I am making your bed." I started unfolding the sheets. "Do you want me to prepare something to drink before going to bed? Chamomile tea or Milk maybe?"

"No thanks Sheldon, I am fine, I just want to go to sleep as soon as possible, I am exhausted." Then she walked towards the bathroom with her bag and locked the door. She came back a few minutes later, in her pajamas. She stood by the door, as I was finishing making the bed.

"Amy at what time do you want to wake up tomorrow?"

"I need to leave at the latest at 7.30am so I guess I will set my alarm at 6.30am. Is it fine for you?"

"That's perfect. Kripke will be there at 8am." I was over with the bed "Alright, so I will leave you now." I moved towards the door. Then I stopped next to her, leant my head and kissed her on the left cheek. "That was for helping Meemaw." Then I leant again and kissed her on the right one "That one was for being there for me the whole week". Then I placed my hands on her waist and said "This one is for coming to Texas this weekend" and I kissed her on the lips. I pulled back a little and said "And this one is for being part of my life." And I kissed her as passionately as the night before at the pier. I held her tight as she wrapped her arms around my neck. Then my hands moved up on her back as the kiss got deeper and deeper. We parted slowly, looking into each other's eyes, not saying a word for a few seconds.

"Wow Sheldon, thank YOU" she said, breathless and smiling gently. Then she placed a peck on my lips before saying "Sweet dreams Sheldon" and moved towards the bed. I pulled myself together and making my way out of the room I managed to say "Goodnight Amy!"

It took me quite some time to get to sleep. I could not understand the effect these kisses had on me.

I woke up at 6am, not rested at all. I went for a shower then all clean and dressed up, I grabbed my jacket and went out to buy eggs, milk and fresh bread at the shop around the corner. When I came back 15 minutes later, I could hear the shower running in the bathroom. I went to the kitchen and began preparing our breakfast.

"Morning" she said as she entered the room, clean, brushed and dressed. "Hmmm it smells so good Sheldon, I will be spoiled this morning. I usually only eat an apple in the morning."

"Good morning Amy!" I said, turning towards her "An apple, nonsense!" I mumbled "Today is normally oatmeal day, but I remembered that you did not like that. So I decided to replace it with French Toasts. I hope that is fine."

"Oh that is very thoughtful, Sheldon, thanks."

"Do you prefer tea or coffee in the morning?"

"Tea is fine, thank you."

"Would you mind grabbing the mugs and spoons as I take care of the French Toasts please? You know where they are"

"Sure." She reached for the mugs in the cupboard and the spoons in the drawer. As she passed next to me, I could not help thinking how nice it was having her so close to me this morning. Especially because I could smell her freshly washed hair… Gosh, how I love that jasmine scent…

While we were having breakfast, Amy told me more about her new colleagues. She was so enthusiastic about that new project; it could be an important step in her career. Then she left, wishing me a good day and saying she'd try to call me during the day. I left thirty minutes later.

The day went by very fast. Barry and I had so many things to talk about and check together. Even if we had been skyping for the whole week, nothing could replace working together in the same room. We worked for 10 hours in a row, our only break being at noon when we had lunch with Raj and Howard. I did not hear from Amy the whole day. I figured she had been as busy as me. But it felt strange.

I got home late and ordered a pizza that I ate alone. I wanted to skype Amy but she was offline. I tried to check if there was something I wanted to see on tv, turned on Syfy but anyways I could not focus; I had just noticed that the Nintendo Entertainment System was still there, next to the tv. I had left it after our game night and never got the chance to put it back in my bedroom. Gosh, how I had enjoyed playing with her. I brought the box back to my bedroom and decided to go to bed early. Once there, I tossed and turned, feeling so lonely. I had never felt lonely before, never really, because I never cared. What a strange feeling.

From 8am, Tuesday looked a lot like Monday: working all day with Kripke, lunching with Wolowitz and Koothrappali… but in the evening I met with everyone at Bernadette and Howard's. It had been decided by consensus that going to the Cheesecake Factory without Leonard and Penny would be too depressing, so Bernadette said she would cook hamburgers for us all. I was very excited to see them all… especially one of them. While Amy and Koothrappali were in the kitchen, helping Bernadette with the food, Howard and I were playing Wii Sport resorts archery in the living room. Then we all have dinner together. Bernadette's hamburgers were delicious. It was really nice being with my friends and finally I could spend some time with Amy. After dinner, she drove me back home. She looked exhausted. She told me that she had had two very busy days at work and apologized for not calling me. I said I understood as it had been the same for me. After she stopped the engine, I leant towards her, kissing her very gently on the lips. I sat back on my seat and then I decided to talk to her about what I had been thinking about for the whole day: "Amy, I need to talk to you about something."

She stared at me "Yes, Sheldon, I am listening.

"Well, these two days have been awful; I had gotten used to communicate with you several times a day, and suddenly it was like neither of us had time for each other. I missed talking to you, Amy."

"So did I Sheldon. But we both have been busy, and …"

I interrupted her "Please let me go on." She nodded "So I have been thinking about it and, considering that Leonard's room is empty, and that Penny is not around to gossip, maybe the best way for us to at least spend some time together would be if you stayed at my place. That way, we'd spend at least breakfast time and the evenings together. What do you think about it?"

She looked confused "Well, I don't know, Sheldon. I definitely cannot stay tonight, I have no clothes with me, and I need to go to work very early. But your offer makes sense. I miss you too. "

I smiled in relief "What about coming tomorrow night then, after work? Please Amy, say yes. And that way maybe we can keep on experimenting…" I felt I was starting to blush after that last comment.

She was lost in her thoughts for a minute then said "Alright then Sheldon, I'll come directly from work tomorrow night."

"Thank you Amy!" I said, leaning again towards her and kissing her on the cheek."Goodnight and see you tomorrow, roommate!".

"Goodnight Sheldon."

Amy arrived to the apartment on Wednesday evening with a couple of bags. These few days with her went by very quickly, both of us working hard during the day, and spending our evenings together. Amy cooked for me, twice, on Wednesday and Thursday. Both evenings, we had fun time together, watching a movie after dinner. On Wednesday, we watched The Dead Zone with Christopher Walken, a movie I wanted to show Amy. I think she liked it; and on Thursday, Amy chose to show me Pride and Prejudice, the BBC adaption of the book that I had read for Meemaw, with Colin Firth. That was interesting watching it after having read it, though I was not as fanatic as Amy about it.

On Friday night, it was Vintage Videogame night at home with Raj, Howard and Bernadette and Amy. Amy and I had decided we would not let the others know that she had been staying there for the week. When it was over, they all left together and Amy waited outside that everyone left to come back home. During these three days, there had been more casual touching than ever. We brushed past each other several times as we cooked breakfast together every morning and sometimes as we were having our breakfast, we held each other's hand. We kissed on the cheek every evening, when Amy arrived home, and we kissed goodnight every night. Touching her was becoming more and more natural. And I liked that. On Friday, we kissed so passionately, for long minutes, sitting on her bed, that it has been very difficult to part. That evening, I had to go have an unusually long cold shower to cool down.

On Saturday morning, we slept late and then I called my mother. She gave us news of Meemaw; she had been seeing the speech therapist every day this week, and progress was slow but promising according to him. Amy confirmed, as she had been talking to him as well. Meemaw was to come back home on Wednesday. Mum asked me if maybe I could come back next week end; she felt that Meemaw, who had been so enthusiastic at the beginning, was now getting a little frustrated, and probably a visit from her Moonpie would help her forget about it. I said I could not come for a long time, but that I'd try to be there on Saturday and Sunday. Mum told Amy that of course she was welcome to come as well, but Amy said that unfortunately she could not go as her mother was visiting her. I was stunned; Amy had not said anything about it. After we hung up with Mum, I asked her more about it.

"Amy, you did not tell me your mother was coming."

"I know, I wanted to tell you, but…"

"But what?"

"Well, I was not sure yet whether I wanted you to meet her." She said hesitantly.

"Oh"

"Not that I am ashamed of you or anything like that Sheldon, I promise, it is so not that." She put her hand on mine as she said so "It's just… I told you, things between mother and I are complicated."

"Amy" I place my hand so I could intertwine my fingers with hers, "that's fine. You met my family, and it would make sense for me to meet yours, but that's your decision."

"Thanks for being so understanding Sheldon. Probably soon. But I'm not ready now."

Then we had lunch at home. As she had cooked twice for me already this week, I decided to cook for her today. First, she made me promise it would not be spaghetti and hot dogs. I frowned, but I promised. I knew a few recipes that Meemaw had taught me as a child. I decided on turkey –thyme meatloaf with mashed sweet potatoes. As I was cooking, she was working on the couch. I told her did not want her in my kitchen!

"Seriously Sheldon, that is just excellent. Where did you learn that?" she said after the first bite.

I nodded "Well, as a child, I spent lots of time with Meemaw, and she taught me how to cook. I don't cook very often to say the least, but I do remember all of her recipes."

"Well, that is so delicious! Wow!" And she had more helpings of my dish. "From now on, you will have to cook for me at least once a month." She grinned.

"Deal" I said, smiling back.

We stayed home for the whole afternoon; Amy had to read some printouts of presentations made by neuroscientists in relation with her project and I had to check my notes on a few demonstrations Kripke and I had made during the week. We were getting closer to the solution for the fusion reactor and we needed to make sure that no calculation mistake would ruin our analysis.

I was on my spot, and Amy was sitting at the end of the couch. After a few minutes only, Amy said: "Sheldon, I thought maybe we could try something new while working… as part of our experiment…"

"Yes Amy?"

"Well, let's try making ourselves more comfortable."

She retrieved her shoes and grabbed a cushion from the chair. And suddenly she placed the cushion on my legs and lied down on the couch, with her head on the cushion.

"Alright" I said, a bit surprised, "Are you sure you will be more comfortable like that?"

"I am comfortable. Are you?" She was looking up to me.

It was unexpectedly quite comfortable. "Well, yes, actually."

We stayed like that for a couple of hours, each of us reading our notes, in silence. At some point, I decided to do something I had been willing to do from the moment she laid her head on me; I let my fingers stroke her hair. I did not hear any complaint from her, so I repeated it a few times, sometimes without even realizing it. Her hair was so soft.

For dinner, we ordered Thai take away, as neither of us really wanted to cook tonight. Then it was my turn again to choose the movie. I wanted to find a movie that we'd both agree on.

"Okay Amy, I found a movie you might like. The comic book it is based on is great. The movie is not that good, but it is worth watching. It is called Daredevil. There is a very strong female character called Elektra. I think you might like it."

"Alright, I trust you. You were right for The Dead Zone, I liked it. So let's watch Daredevil. On one condition though…"

"Yes?"

"I'd like to watch it with my head on your laps, like this afternoon."

I stayed quiet for a few seconds, then came up with a proposition "What about this time you sit on my spot and I am the one with the head on your legs?"

"Fair enough." She said. Then frowning "Sheldon Cooper, does it mean that you are going to give up your spot?"

I had not thought about it. Then realizing I did not really care "Well, you never know, maybe I will find out a new favorite spot…." I smiled.

So we switched positions. She placed a cushion on her legs and I laid my head on it. She put her right hand on my right arm. It was definitely more comfortable than the other position. I turned on my left to be able to watch the screen and I placed my right hand below hers, and intertwined my fingers in hers. It felt so intimate having our fingers like that! There were several contact points between our two bodies, and I really did not mind. Actually, I liked it. I felt so good being that way, so close to her. From time to time, she used her left hand to stroke my hair, as I had done with hers in the afternoon. I loved that sensation.

After the movie, I reluctantly sat up, as I really did not want to move. Then I grinned and said "Well, that is official: new favorite spot!" And I leant to kiss her tenderly. She smiled back, and welcomed my lips with hers.

**A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long to write this chapter. First, I have been busy at work and also I did not want to mess that chapter up because it is full of sweet Shamy moments, from Sheldon's POV; I wanted to show the slow yet meaningful evolution over the week so this one is a lot longer than the others. I hope you like it. I think the next one will be a guest's POV again. Let me know what you think about it, as I love reading your reviews.**


	19. The New Beginning Implementation

Gosh, how refreshing it was spending the week in Nebraska! From the moment I set foot in Omaha, it was like I had never left. My sister Daphne and her daughter Lily were at the airport, waiting for me in the arrival area, with a sign saying: "Welcome home auntie Penny!" Seeing them brought me to tears as I realized how much I had missed them; the last time I had come was around two years ago, when Lily was ten. For some reason Daphne never came to California to visit me since I moved there. Growing up, my sister and I were quite close, despite the eight years age two of us had shared a room from the moment I turned five, so I had been her privileged confident from that age. She had been my role model, because she was so beautiful and so funny. Then at eighteen she left home to get married and have her first son. It felt strange not having her around suddenly, but we've remained quite close, and call each other every other week. She said I was welcome at her house, but she knew the parents would kill us both if I did not stay at theirs this week. So she drove me there. Dad seemed glad to see me, and he immediately asked me news of my scientist boyfriend. He was probably scared that my coming back home decided on a whim had anything to do with a split or a fight, or anything else Leonard-related. I told him about Leonard's mission on the North Sea, and reassured him about our relationship; I told him the truth about it: that it had never been better between us than when Leonard left a few weeks ago. Mum bounced back on my last statement and asked me if she would be able to meet him some time. I said that when Leonard would be back, I'd take him to Omaha to show him around and introduce him to everyone.

I carried my bag to my bedroom before lunch. It was now used as a guest room, and occasionally as Lily's room when she had to stay at my parents. But it had not changed that much; It felt really good being back there. I had lunch with my parents, Daphne, Lily, her big brother Matthew, who joined us after sports and my brother Byron.

Gosh, how he had changed! Such a man now compared to the immature boy I had last seen just before he went to jail a couple of years ago. He had only stayed there for 6 months, enough to scare the bejesus out of him I guess and give him the opportunity to learn a job. He was now working at the local garage as a mechanic, had a girlfriend that he liked and was about to be a dad. I was so proud of my baby brother! He had finally found his way. Lucky him!

Another one that was doing quite well in the family was my sister's eldest son Matthew. He was top of his class, and had a special love for …. science! I should definitely introduce him to Leonard, they have quite a few things in common. I explained to Matthew what Leonard was doing for a living, and roughly what I understood about his current expedition, and Matthew seemed fascinated about it. That would be really fun having a scientist in the family. Another one I mean. As for Lily, she reminded me so much of myself at her age. And she was impressed by her auntie Penny who was an actress in LA. I had not talked to anyone about my real reason to come back to Omaha this week. I wanted to keep it for myself a little, the time I was sure about my decision.

Because I was actually there to finally, at 28, try to find out what was important in my life. When I made my decision to come here, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized I truly loved acting. When I was given the opportunity to play an interesting part, like in the play my acting class had put on, A streetcar named Desire, I loved it so much, and it all made sense. Of course, playing Blanche Dubois was the most beautiful gift that could be made to any actress. But thinking about how I had felt that night, I knew I wanted more moments like that in my life. And reading the pride in Leonard's and my friends' eyes had been the icing on the problem was that I had been in Los Angeles for around 10 years now, and my acting jobs could be counted on the fingers of one hand.

I realized the real question to ask myself was: why was my so called career such a failure? I am convinced I am not a terrible actress, and my friends told me they thought I was good as Blanche. So I decided it could not be the reason. Then after contemplating the problem a little more in depth, I realized that definitely, I had not given myself the best possible odds as if I was trying to fail anyway. What was I afraid of? I don't know… then I came to think that maybe simply, as usual, my problem could be a fear of commitment. Commitment to acting this time. It was indeed quite easy to call myself an actress, but not giving myself all the chances to succeed. That was such an immature way to live my life. It is easy not to fail or not to be affected by failure if you do not commit. Lately, I had discovered the same thing about my love life. And so far, committing to Leonard had not been such a bad thing. It was like walking on a rope, but it was very satisfying. Why wouldn't I try it with my professional life as well?

So I decided to list all the things that I had done to be an actress, and how I could try to improve it. First, my agent. Frida is a nice girl, she tries hard, but she really has little connections in Hollywood, and that is what matters in the business. I had started working with her because when I moved in to LA in the first place, she was my next door neighbor. What a great way to choose someone to entrust your career to, I was realizing now! Frida was in her forties and was both an agent and a waitress. She had under contract 5 people, none of which really did anything in Hollywood, except occasional ads. Decision number 1 for Penny the actress 2.0 was to find another agent. I decided to check online the name of a few agents that were looking for talents and made appointments.

Second, I realized that my acting portfolio was just the worst thing ever. I simply consists in a few photographs taken by amateur photographers, some of them friends of mine, the others being guys I went out with a few times. Decision number 2 for Penny the actress 2.0: making a new portfolio. I had some money saved I could use to work with a professional photographer. I checked online and chose an artist that had been the photographer for Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lawrence. I made an appointment with him at the end of the month.

Also, I had attended my acting school for about 7 years, in evening classed and nothing got out of it. Maybe it was time to spend more time and money on a better dramatic school? I made enquiries as well, and found a few schools in Hollywood that held summer classes. I thought I would start with that, and if I really liked it, I could keep going during the year.

At first I was considering leaving the Cheesecake Factory and find another job. But then I thought about the freedom it gave me working shift hours in a place I know and that is pretty close to where I live, so I decided I'd keep working there. But in my mind, it had to remain a temporary job, not a permanent position. My first job was actress, and before having a contract, I was a waitress.

I had been thinking about it ever since I arrived in Omaha, but really got my epiphany on the Wednesday. When Leonard called that evening, I felt so relieved. I told him everything and I could see in his eyes that he was impressed to see me making decisions like that. He was almost as enthusiastic as me and said that he would have supported me whatever I would have chosen to do. He said that he was proud of me for reassessing my life and deciding to take risks; that he'd be there for me, always, and that if needed, he would be the point of stability that I could rely on in my life, even though now he was thousands of miles away. I knew he was right, and realizing that gave me wings; that was our love that would give me the strength to start all over again. Leonard and I have been skyping every day this week. I know it is not easy for him to come and talk to me for 30 minutes a day, but I know he did everything he could this week because he felt I needed it. I am so grateful that he did so. I love him so much. But now I think I don't need comforting anymore, I know what I want, and I am determined to go for it.

Except for Leonard, I had decided not to keep in touch with my friends from Pasadena before reaching a decision; I really wanted to keep my ideas clear. So for the first part of the week, I spoke to no one, even avoiding phone calls from Amy and Bernie. Then once my decision had been made, I called them both, apologizing for my behavior. They both said they understood and were really glad I had made a decision that seemed to make me feel better. I also called Raj and stayed online with him for an hour on Thursday evening. He told me of his progress with Lucy, or I should say his lack of progress with Lucy and he felt desperate. I told him to reconsider whether he really wanted his relationship with Lucy to start again, and whether she was the right person for him. He said he did not know, and burst into tears. I will definitely have to spend some time with him when I come back; the poor guy is an emotional wreck. I called Sheldon as well, because I heard his Meemaw had been talking again and I was thrilled for him. He seemed quite excited about the news, and did not stop repeating how Amy had been amazing about it all.

On Friday, I texted Amy that my flight back landed in LAX on Sunday afternoon and I wanted to know whether she could come and pick me up. She replied that she'd be there. She and Sheldon were waiting for me at the airport. I was so glad to see them! But from the moment I saw them together, standing there in the arrival area of the domestic flights terminal, I knew something was different. They had already been acting weird before I left, since the Dungeons and Dragons game, but this time, I don't know, I could not really explain what I felt, but there was definitely something going on. After they drove me back home, the three of us ordered a pizza for dinner. The Shamy had always seemed very close, but this time it was like they were so comfortable around each other, I almost felt like an intruder. Maybe spending the week end together in Texas had brought then closer.I asked them what was going on. They looked at each other, obviously embarrassed, and Sheldon said that he did not understand what I meant, and changed the subject as he always does, asking me about my plans now. I told them more about my decision and about all the appointments I had made for the coming week. Amy said she was proud of me, and glad if I had found my way. She said she would be there for me if I needed. Sheldon said nothing, but nodded as she said so. The way he was looking at Amy was truly disturbing. I could not help wondering what had happened when I was away, despite their denial. For some reason, I wanted to know.

As soon as I got back home, I called Bernie to talk to her about the Shamy. I asked her if she had noticed something different in the way they behaved together, and she told me that she'd see them twice last week, and had been wondering the same thing. Their trip together to Texas had definitely changed them. Bernie said that especially last Friday, she had caught a few glimpses between each other that were different. She thought they were getting closer and even wondered whether they had had sex. I told Bernadette that we definitely needed to organize a girls night tomorrow to try to learn more from Amy. But it revealed inconclusive, as Amy kept quiet as a grave. She said that she had appreciated meeting Sheldon's family, that they had all welcomed her warmly, but when I askedher if Sheldon had changed his attitude towards her, maybe being a little more tender, she did not say anything. I asked Leonard if Sheldon had said anything about it, but he shook his head. He told me that maybe I was just imagining things. He also said that if something had indeed happened and they had not said anything to anyone, that could simply mean they wanted to keep things for themselves for some time and that we should respect that. But for some reason I really wanted to know. So I decided I'd try a little experiment to confirm my doubts.

On Thursday night, the six of us plus Stuart went to the opening of Man of Steel. Once again, Raj was desperate because he had asked Lucy to come with him and she refused. So he had asked Stuart if he wanted to come with us. I realized that it could be of some help if I wanted to shake the Shamy a little; after all, one of Sheldon's most epic moments had been after he thought Amy was attracted to Stuart; Very jealous, he manned up, asking her to be his girlfriend. As we arrived at the cinema, we let Sheldon search for the right spot, as usual. But after he sat, I managed to sit next to him, with Amy next to me, so they were not sitting together.I even managed to have Stuart sit between Raj and Amy. When I saw Sheldon's face, it was obvious he was not happy with the seating arrangements. He tried to convince me to switch seats as according to him social conventions dictated that he'd sit next to his girlfriend. I replied that I remembered hearing him complain about Amy always trying to hold hands at the cinema and that by seating here I was helping him not being her "candy" for once; I told him he should be thanking me instead of complaining. I also said that I had not seen my Bestie in quite some time, and needed to chat with her before the movie started. Sheldon was embarrassed; he did not know what to say. Amy, was equally embarrassed, and did not dare looking towards Sheldon.

When Stuart started talking to Amy, and Amy was forced to talk back to him, I could feel Sheldon boiling on his seat. He could not sit still. His face was getting scarlet and he could not help clenching and unclenching his fists. Then suddenly, after maybe 20 minutes, as we were still watching the ads, he got up and rushed out of the I not known Sheldon better, I would have thought that there were tears on his cheek. Amy saw him leave, and immediately followed him, giving me a furious look as she passed next to me. When my eyes met hers, I felt she too was hurt, and I felt quite bad about it all. Why did I do that? After all, that was none of my business what was going on between them. Why did I want so much to know about their life? Maybe it was just that I felt left out when it was just the three of us spending time. Maybe I was hurt that my best friend did not even tell me about the important changes in her life. I liked them both so much, I was feeling so stupid for experimenting on them. It took me a few minutes to pull myself together; I left the theater as well, as I felt I had to talk to them.

And as I arrived in the hallway, I saw them, and I knew immediately that I had been right in my assumptions;they were definitely acting more intimate than before: Sheldon was sitting on a couch, his head down, with tears rolling on his cheeks. Amy was sitting on the footstool in front of him, both hands in his. She was talking softly to him, their faces very close to each other. Then she said three little words, and suddenly, Sheldon looked up, smiled a little, repeated these same words and leant towards her. What followed was something I had not imagined I'd see from these two: a very tender kiss, Amy placing her hands on Sheldon's cheeks, wiping his tears with her thumbs as their tongues were stroking. It was so cute seeing them like that and I felt very guilty for playing such a mean trick on them. As they were pulling away, I hesitantly walked towards them and said "I am really sorry guys, I have been a real bitch. I did not know." They both looked up at me, confused; the two of them had just admitted their love to each other. I was crying.

**A/N: I admit, my Penny has been a little cruel to our Shamy, but I think she did not imagine what was really going on between these two. Let me know what you thought about it. Next chapter will be written from Amy's POV. Stay tunned!**


	20. The Love Declaration Reciprocity

**A/N Thanks so much for the lovely reviews. Glad that you guys like it. And I hope you will appreciate this chapter as well.**

When Penny came back from Omaha last Sunday, I returned to my apartment. It had been all the more difficult as Sheldon and I had spent a wonderful Saturday together, just the two of us, in the comfort of his apartment. But we both knew from the beginning that my staying there was only made possible as long as Penny was away, and we both accepted it tacitly. But I guess neither of us knew how difficult it would be to part. It had become so natural waking up together and preparing breakfast alongside him. So natural kissing him every morning to wish him a good day. So natural coming back to him every evening after work, sharing our dinner while chatting about our day, and then watching a movie in each other's arms. And so natural ending our day with a very tender kiss always turning into something more passionate. I felt so close to him when I was living there.

On the one hand, I was glad that Penny was back. She is my best friend and I like spending time with her. And she had just made a big decision about her professional life, I wanted to hear more about it. But on the other hand, I knew it meant the end of these happy days pretending to live together with my boyfriend. And the beginning of the lies and secrets. Because Sheldon insisted that he wanted to keep our new level of intimacy a secret. I did not really mind, but I agreed. I felt it would be tough, and I was proven right after just a few minutes with Penny. I have no idea how she guessed it, but she asked us on the first evening if something was going on. Sheldon pretended not to understand what she meant, and I assented with him. During the week, she insisted, asking me questions I could not answer, especially during a girls night that looked a lot like an ambush. I tried to warn Sheldon that Penny was on the verge of finding out, trying to convince him that it was not that much a problem if she knew. But he refused to consider it. He said that it was none of her business, and that we did not owe her anything. So we kept on lying.

During this week apart, Sheldon and I have been calling and skyping each other several times a day, like before, with an extra skype session in the evening. And finally on Thursday, we were to see each other again; The whole gang had planned to go and watch the premiere of Man of Steel. When I arrived at his that evening, excited to see him and spend some time with him alone before going out, I was surprised to find Penny already there, with take away food for the three of us. Sheldon was in the background, lifting his shoulders, obviously surprised as well. I tried to act as natural as possible, asking many questions about Penny's stay in Omaha but Sheldon remained we met with the others at the cinema. And there again, Penny did not leave us alone, as she decided to make us sit on each side of her. Worse, she made me sit next to Stuart. I could not see what her point was. Did she want to move us? Did she want to see how far she could push us, expecting us to confess the truth? It seemed so childish…Anyways, I knew Sheldon would take all that rather hard. So when I saw him leave his seat, I knew I had to follow him to try to calm him down.

I found him in the hallway, sitting on a couch, with his head in his hands. Even from far, I could see he was shivering a little. I walked closer quietly.

" Sheldon, what is going on ? "I asked gently while sitting on the footstool in front of him

He answered, sobbing "I am sorry Amy, I could not stand it, you next to Stuart, after this whole week without seeing you…. I had to leave."

I took his right hand in mine. Then placed my other hand on his cheek, and I started stroking it. He calmed down at my touch. "Sheldon, that is fine. Penny was testing us. I did not sit next to Stuart on purpose, Penny made me. I told you she knew."

"I missed you so much Amy." He grabbed my hand that was wiping his tears and held it in his. He began to intertwine our fingers, as I had noticed he liked to do. "I thought tonight we could finally spend some nice time together, but Penny…" he lowered his head and looked at the floor.

I interrupted him "Don't be mad at Penny. I believe she just felt left out of something and wanted to push us a little, like she did that night during the Dungeons and Dragons game. We will have to talk to her now and tell her what is going on."

He nodded. "I'm sorry for reacting like that Amy. It's just that I have trouble keeping a cool head when it comes to you. I want you next to me all the time" He said the last part almost in a whisper.

"Come on Sheldon, you don't have to worry, I am here and I don't intend to leave you. I love you." As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it. Not that I did not mean it, but was he really ready to process it?

He lifted his head, looked at me straight in the eyes, and replied "I love you too Amy." And then we kissed. Tenderly.

Then we pulled away and as we became aware of what had just happened, we heard from behind us:

"I am really sorry guys, I have been a real bitch. I did not know."

It was Penny. She had seen and heard everything. Sheldon got up, and I imitated him. Then he simply said, his gaze in my eyes "Let's go home now Amy." And he grabbed my hand. He turned to Penny and said "you can tell the others that I felt sick and Amy took me home." He walked away with a confident step and I followed him.

Once in the car, I asked him "Sheldon, are you alright?"

"Yes Amy, I'm sorry I spoiled your evening. I just could not go back there after what happened."

"That's alright Sheldon. You know I was there just to be with you, I don't really care about the movie. Plus you so did not spoil my evening."

"Can we go home now, please?"

I started the engine and drove to Los Robles. I really did not know what he was thinking about. Was he regretting saying that he loved me? I hoped he would talk once at the apartment as I needed to know.

But as we got inside the apartment, Sheldon immediately sat on his spot and remained patted the spot next to him, encouraging me to come and sit next to he stretched his arm behind me and understanding the invitation I leant both my head and hand on his chest and we began cuddling. I could feel all his muscles clench and then release as I stroke him slowly.

When I felt he was relaxed enough, I decided it was time to have a talk together.

I asked him "Feeling better now?"

"Definitely."

"Do you want to talk about what happened tonight?"

"Not really."

"I said I loved you and you said you loved me."

"I know."

"And?"

"And what?"

I sat up and looked at him, with a serious face. "Sheldon, do you regret saying it?"

He looked at me, obviously stunned "Amy, how can you even ask the question? Of course I don't regret it." He sat up as well and took my hands "I love you Amy, I've known it for some time now and I'm not afraid to say so."

Relief washed over my face. And tears filled my eyes. I leant against the back of the couch. Sheldon seemed confused. "What is going on Amy? Do you regret saying it?"

"Of course not Sheldon, it is just such a big step forward. Do you even realize it?"

"I do. I am ready. I told you before that you should have faith in me Amy."

"Oh Sheldon" and I wrapped my arms around him, nestling my head against his neck. He placed his hand below my chin and lifted it so he could brush his lips against mine, delicately. Then slowly we went back to our cuddling position. After a while, Sheldon said he would make us some chamomile and we both moved to the kitchen. I sat at the counter as he put the water to boil and reached for the mugs and tea bags.

"Sheldon, what time is your flight exactly tomorrow night?"

"11.45pm from LAX. But don't worry, it is very late, I will call a taxi." He sat down in front of me, and reached for my hand.

"Well, what would you think about spending the evening at my place? I'd cook… Then I could drive you there… We'd have some time together then."

"I did not want to bother you with that, but I love this idea. I will need to come back here to pack before going to yours. Is it fine if I come around 7.30pm? Then we'll have to leave for the airport around 10pm. It means we will have two and a half hours at your place." He smiled saying so. "And my flight back is on Sunday evening, around 10pm. What if you came and picked me up? Then you could stay and spend the night here?"

I smiled back. "I think it is a brilliant idea!"

I was lost in his eyes, when suddenly my phone started vibrating. It was Penny. She was sending out feelers to see if we were mad at her.

"Sheldon, Penny is back. I thought maybe I should talk to her tonight, so that is done."

He frowned.

"I think I will just go over there and chat a little with her, before heading back home. I can't stay long anyways, as I have to go to work early tomorrow."

I sent my reply to Penny, finished my tea, then collected my bag and headed toward the door, followed by Sheldon. I turned to kiss him goodnight. He put his hands on my waist, leant over me, reached my lips with his and kissed me very softly. "Goodnight Amy!"

"Goodnight Sheldon!"

I left and crossed the landing. I knocked once and Penny was already at the door, obviously waiting for me.

"Hey Ames, come in and sit down." She tried to sound cheerful, but I could tell she was not proud of herself. She had a glass of wine in her hand "Do you want a drink?"

"Penny, I cannot stay long, but I wanted to talk to you tonight." I said as I sat down on the couch, next to her.

"So did I Amy. I am so sorry, I don't even know why I did it in the first place. I guess I was just pissed off that you did not talk to me. We are best friends, and I was mad at you for keeping things for yourself."

"Penny, the trick you played on us was very childish and pretty cruel, especially if you knew what was going on."

"That's the point, I did not know. I assumed something was going on. Actually I still don't really know what is going on, except that you guys seem to touch, and kiss, and be in love."

"Okay, here is roughly what is going that Dungeons and Dragons game last month, Sheldon and I simply decided to work together on his touch-phobia. We started with very simple gestures, and we have made quite some progress since then actually."

"Yes, I saw that tonight! Well done Shelly!" she smiled.

"Yes, I have to admit he can be very passionate in his kisses. And very tender too."I could feel my cheeks turn red."Things went faster after Texas and …. last week, I stayed at his for a few days. "

"What?" Penny's mouth was wide open.

"In Leonard's room. I stayed there for 4 nights, sharing the apartment with him. Oh Penny it was just so wonderful living with him, even for a short period!"

"Wow Amy! Sheldon Cooper accepted that you stayed with him for four days in his apartment? That is huge." She hesitated then asked "And have you guys gotten…. physical?"

"Not the way you mean it. Not yet. But we have made so much progress in a month, I am so happy with where we are now. And tonight he said that he loved me."

"Yes I heard! I almost cried when I heard it actually. I am so happy for you guys." I could feel in her voice that she was sincere.

"Thanks Penny." I was glad I could finally confide in my best friend "Actually, I have the feeling we will soon move to another stage, as it is more and more difficult pulling away after kissing."

"Which stage do you mean?"

"Touching breasts and all kinds of private parts…" I blushed again as saying so. "Oh I feel so stupid talking about that…"

"Don't Amy. Second base is an important stage. Listen, when you need to talk about it, you know I am here for you."

"I know Penny. Really, it was tough not being able to talk to you." Then I added "Can you please just keep it to yourself, at least for a few days, until I see how it goes after he comes back from Texas? Can we trust you?"

"Sure Amy!" And we hugged. Then I left Penny's place and went back home.

I fell asleep with the voice of Sheldon in my head saying three wonderful little words that meant so much to me.

The following day, Brian, Kate and I were running through the names of our possible candidates. We had decided to limit the study to subjects living in the USA, but from different sectors of activity. I had submitted Raj's name, with his agreement, as I thought he would be an interesting case and he made it to the short list. I considered submitting Leonard's too, but did not have the opportunity to ask him yet. I was tempted to enter Sheldon's name and mine in the study, but it would require special agreements, and it could make things more difficult. And I was not sure it was the right time to measure our respective emotional quotients.

I was looking forward to going home tonight. On my way home, I stopped to buy everything I needed to cook dinner. I had chosen to prepare chicken stir fry: each of us would place in a pan whatever we want alongside chicken. I thought it would be fun cooking together, like we did last week.

I was in the kitchen busy cooking the chicken when Sheldon arrived. I told him to come in and after leaving his bags by the door, he made his way directly to me. As I was bent over the pan, preparing the chicken, he came from behind me and encircled my waist with his arms, kissing me in the neck.

I was surprised as it was the first time he kissed me there "Wow Sheldon, good evening! What are you doing?"

"I was wondering whether I'd like kissing your neck… the answer is I do! Do you object?"

"No, not at all. You seem in a great mood today."

"I am. First, Kripke and I had a very productive day today and we are almost done with our project. Second, I am really happy to go to Texas to see Meemaw. And last but not least, I am so glad we can be together tonight." He still had his hands on my waist. He kissed me one more time on the cheek and pulled away. "I talked to Penny this morning. She apologized, I apologized, well, she said she was glad for us, and that she won't interfere anymore. I asked her to keep it for herself, at least for a week. Then we'll see."

"I asked her the same "I said, then turned around to face him "Dinner is ready. Well almost." And I explained to him how to prepare his food from the different plates I had pre-heated. Then we sat down and ate. After dinner, we sat on the couch and started cuddling, while watching some star/wars/trek/whatever episode on tv. We stayed like that until it was time to leave for the again, it was difficult to part, but we knew it was just for a few days. He kissed me gently, made me promise to call him if things were getting difficult with Mother and repeated that he loved me. Then he walked away.

I woke up quite early on Saturday morning. My mother and her husband Richard were only supposed to arrive here at 11am, but I wanted the apartment to be perfectly clean. In order to avoid unnecessary criticisms. There would be far too many anyways. By the time they arrived, the place was absolutely spotless and shiny. But as predicted it was not clean enough for mother. She criticized the way I dressed too. And for the whole weekend, I had to listen to Richard's boring stories about his four wonderful children, all happily married with wonderful partners and blessed with wonderful children. And Mother's criticisms about my empty life. A few times, she talked about my "so-called" boyfriend Sheldon. It had even become a joke apparently in the family. No one believed he even existed. She thought it was very convenient that he had to go to Texas to visit his sick grandmother this she thought it was weird that there were absolutely no pictures of him in my apartment. I could stand all these remarks up to a point, then on Sunday, during lunch I finally told her that I'd come and visit her with Sheldon within a month. I'd have to check with Sheldon's schedule first but I would keep her updated. Of course Mother and Richard did not believe me. Well, they will see when I will introduce them to my more than brilliant boyfriend. But I'd probably have to talk to him about my childhood beforehand. I tried so much to bury it deep inside… but if there is someone I can talk to about my childhood hurts, it is definitely Sheldon.


	21. The Weekend Polarization Effect

I flew on the red-eye and arrived in Houston at daybreak on Saturday. It was not as comfortable as it had been when Amy and I flew next to each other, but somehow, I managed to sleep through the whole flight.

During these past two weeks, Mum and Missy had been sending me updates on Meemaw's progresses and recovery. Although she still could not form full sentences and had articulation problems, at least she could be understood. Amy had forwarded me her paper on aphasia and several other papers about the recovery process for the patients and how families could help their dear ones through that process. I had sent copies to everyone in the family, underlining the most important parts.

Amy had kept in touch with Dr Steele, so we also had the speech therapist's point of to him, Meemaw had been making encouraging progress these past 2 weeks: first, at the hospital, for ten days he had been seeing her every day. And a physiotherapist came twice a day to help her move her limbs; Although Meemaw was not suffering from hemiplegia, she had weaknesses in both her right leg and arm, so she needed a few sessions to get back to normal. And finally last Wednesday, Meemaw had been allowed to go back home as her condition no longer required full-time monitoring.

For at least one month after she returned home, she was to see a speech therapist, recommended by Dr Steele, twice a week, and a physio three times a week. Then her doctor and Dr Steele would assess the progress, and adapt the therapy specifically to her. I knew Meemaw could not afford paying for all the specialists, and neither could Mum or my siblings, so I offered to pay all the bills. I could afford it; I don't make that much money at Caltech, but my needs are not excessive, so I managed to save several thousand dollars over the years. And I'd rather have that money used for Meemaw. Only Amy and Mum knew about it. I asked Mum not to tell Meemaw or my siblings about the cost of all this, and if needed, to lie about it. They all thought it was covered by Meemaw's insurance.

I arrived in Texas very early in the morning, but Mum was there to pick me up. She thanked me for coming. She looked a bit worried about Meemaw's condition.

"How is she doing, Mum?" I asked straight away.

"Well, she seems to be tired all the time and sleeps a lot. But I talked to Amy about it and she explained to me it was natural because of all the efforts she has been making to speak."

"Yes I know, Amy told me so as well."

"But she seems to be speaking even less than before since she came back home. It is like she is ashamed or discouraged, Shelly, I don't know. We all follow Amy's recommendations, we try not to push her and we make her feel we are all there for her. But it is like she is always sad." Mum's tone of voice was full of concern "I think what is the most difficult for her is not being able to read properly. She seems to understand everything we say, and she can speak a little better every day but she still cannot read or write. Do you remember Shelly how many books a week she used to read?"

"How could I forget? She could read so fast, and she really loved it. I am not surprised she misses it that much." I said "Mum, Amy and I talked about it. She got an idea and I think Meemaw will love it."

"What is it Shelly?"

I explained our idea and she agreed that Meemaw would like it a lot. It was still quite early when we arrived home, around 7am, and Mum said Meemaw would not be awake before another hour or so. So we stayed together in the kitchen and had breakfast together. We talked some more about Meemaw, then about my work, my friends, and Amy.

Then I paused for a moment before asking "What about you Mum? How are you doing?" Amy had told me that Mum sounded very tired the last time she talked to her and asked me to check if she was alright.

"Oh I'm fine Shelly-bean, thank you."

"Are you sure? I know you never complain about anything Mum, but it must have been tough for you as well."

"Well, Shelly, I had Missy and George with me here to help me with Mother, and you of course, and Amy. I was not alone. But thank you for asking baby, I really appreciate it." And she grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight.

When it was 8.30am, Mum told me that Meemaw was probably awake by now, so I decided to walk to her house. Mum said she'd come in a half hour with Meemaw's food. Meemaw lives in a one storey ranch house a block away from Mother. The doctor said that she could stay in her own house for the time being, except if we realized it was too difficult for her, or for Mum. Mum was able to be there most of the time when she was not at work, and when she was, a neighbor or one of my siblings would go and make sure Meemaw was alright. I figured that at some point, we'd have to talk about the situation; Amy had warned me that most aphasiacs tried to live on their own at the beginning but soon had to consider other solutions.

I knocked three times on the door, and got inside. I walked to Meemaw's room and there she was, awake and looking at me with a grin on her face.

"Good morning Meemaw!" I simply said.

"Moonpie!" she replied. I got closer to her and kissed her on the cheek, helping her straighten up.

"Meemaw, you look great" she indeed looked a bit better than two weeks ago at the hospital.

"Moonpie, stick, kitchen" she said, showing me the walking stick next to her bed. I immediately gave it to her. She then held it in her right hand, got up with difficulties, despite my arm that she grabbed with her left hand, and walked to the kitchen. I helped her sit on a chair and stood there, opposite her.

"Do you want something to drink Meemaw? Mum said she'd come in twenty minutes with your breakfast, but we can drink some tea in the meantime if you want."

"Yes" she said. I started boiling the water for the two of us.

"Meemaw, I will be here with you for the whole weekend, I am so glad. Amy could not come but she told me to say hi from her."

"Amy, thanks, hello".

"I will tell her you said hello. She promised we would come back soon, with me." I sat down for a minute "Meemaw, Amy and I have a present for you. Actually two presents, one from each of us."

"Present?" Meemaw said with a smile.

"Yes. Mum told me that you cannot read yet and that you really miss it. I know how much it is important for you." I looked at her and saw sadness in her eyes "So both Amy and I read a book out loud and recorded it on a CD for you. Amy chose Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and I chose 1984 by George Orwell. I know you like both, I remember you told me so once. And here is a CD player to listen to it."

"Moonpie, thanks" she had tears in her eyes. I was Amy's idea. It took us a few hours to record it, a little every evening, individually, but I thought it was just such wonderful idea.

"Meemaw, with Amy we have decided we would try to record at least one book every other week for you. We have drawn a list of books you might like us to read, but if you know what you want, just let us know. What do you think?"

"Good. Moonpie." She held my hand very tight.

"I'm glad you like it Meemaw."

Mum arrived with Meemaw's breakfast a few minutes later. After breakfast, the three of us moved to the living room, and I read her one of her books. Another Jane Austen book called Sense and Sensibility. Once again, not my choice... I definitely preferred reading 1984! Missy came for lunch, and in the afternoon we both played chess with Meemaw, in turns, and then I did some more reading; we all left when Meemaw seemed too tired.

All day long, Amy and I had been texting and even though her messages were not alarming_ it was all "Glad Meemaw liked her present. Miss you Sheldon." Or "Things are fine, Sheldon. But I wish I were in Texas with you."_I had a strange feeling about what was going on there. We could not skype that night as Amy went out late with her family and came back after 10pm, which meant midnight in Houston. But on Sunday morning, I skyped her when I was with Meemaw. It did not last long, just the time for Amy to say a few words to Meemaw and for Meemaw to thank her for the present. The rest of the day was again chess games and readings with Meemaw, Mum and George.

Before leaving, I really wanted to talk to her about something that Amy insisted on: she told me not to let Meemaw withdraw into her shell as she had gradually been doing these past days. For years, ever since Pop-Pop died, Meemaw used to go every day to a senior center. She had friends there. She played games, watched tv and movies. And this week she refused to go, or to let her friends come and visit her. So as I had just finished on chapter of her book, I said I would stop for the day, and decided to talk to her about it.

"Meemaw" I asked "Mum told me you no longer want to go to the senior center. Why?"

She did not reply, and avoided my look.

"I don't understand. You were always so enthusiastic about going there. You can meet your friends. You can play games. Meemaw, it is important that you see people."

She simply replied "Mary, Missy, Steve, George, you, Amy."

"Meemaw, it is not enough. You have many friends. They would like to see you. They can help you. You should not stay here all the time. We could buy a wheelchair for you, so you can move by yourself and go there, what do you think?"

She shook her head.

"Meemaw, please. Think about it. For me. I love you Meemaw, I want you to enjoy yourself. I want you to see your friends and keep living, like before." I said the last words with tears in my eyes.

She was also crying. She made no promises but at least she listened to me.

"Meemaw, I have to go now. But I will be back soon, with Amy. And we will send you CD's I promise."

"Moonpie, piano." showing me the piano behind me in the living room.

I was surprised by that request. But I had always loved playing the piano for Meemaw. She was the one who taught me when I was a toddler "Alright, if you want, I will play the piano for you before leaving. But don't be too hard on me, I haven't played for a long time, Meemaw." And I started playing for her some piece by Bach, her favorite. I kissed her goodbye and promised I'd be back very soon. Then I left with Mum who drove me to the airport.

I was glad I came, but Mum was right about Meemaw, there was obviously something going wrong, and she did not want to talk about it. I'll have to talk about it to Amy when I get back home. She will probably know what to do.

When I landed in LAX, Amy was there, in the arrival area, waiting for me. As soon as I saw her, I understood something was wrong; she looked both exhausted and sad. I did not say anything about it at first. I simply opened my arms and held her close. She squeezed so tightly I thought I would suffocate. She pulled away, grabbed my hand and we walked to the car hand in hand, in silence.

It was past 10pm when we arrived at my place. I told Amy to sit down on the couch and relax a little. Then after I carried both her bag and mine to our respective rooms, I went to the kitchen to prepare some chamomile tea for the two of us. When I came back with both our mugs, I sat on my spot next to her and pulled her close. She hugged me tightly as she rested her head in my neck and began sobbing.

"Amy, what is going on?" I was taken aback by her reaction.

"Oh Sheldon! I am so glad you are back. Please hold me close."

I drew her closer "Sure, Amy, come here." I gently kissed her forehead and her temples. "Do you want to tell me what is going on?" No reply "Is it your mother? What happened?"

She raised her head up "Nothing really." She mumbled "I mean nothing more than usual. I just feel so stupid reacting like that. I'm tired that's all."

"You are not stupid Amy. I don't want you to say things like that, ever" I said, and she buried her head back against my neck. I put my hand in her hair and stroke it softly. I placed my second hand on hers, intertwining our fingers.

We stayed like that for quite some time. I slowly felt her relax in my arms.

"Amy, if you are feeling better, maybe we should go to bed now. It is late and we are working tomorrow."

"Alright" she said as she got up. She seemed a bit better but still pretty tired. Her movements were very hesitant as she walked towards the hallway. She looked so frail tonight.

I opened the door of Leonard's room. "Amy, I left some towels by your bed. Help yourself. You can use the bathroom first."

"Thank you Sheldon." She said with a strangled voice.

As she entered the bathroom, I went to my room, leaving the door open and I sat on my bed.I just could not stand seeing her like that. I wondered what had happened with her family. Why does she always seem so sad after she sees them, or talk to them on the phone?When she got out of the bathroom in her nightgown, I could see was still crying. She stayed there by the doorframe and said "Goodnight Sheldon."And walked towards Leonard's room.

"Amy, wait a second. Come here, please." I stood up and walked towards her. I took her hand in mine and led her inside my room. We both sat on the edge of the bed.

"Amy, please don't cry. I just can't stand it when you cry. Were they mean with you?" she lowered her head as I was speaking. I put my hand below her chin and lifted it up, so she was forced to look at me in the eyes "Amy, please never forget you are wonderful and I love you. Just don't listen to what other people say. They don't know you like I do. And they don't understand you like I do."

"Thank you so much Sheldon. I'm sorry for reacting like that. That's ridiculous."

I leant over and kissed her tenderly. Then I pulled away and asked her "Amy, would you like to stay here with me tonight, in my bed? Would it make you feel better?"

She looked puzzled "I don't know Sheldon. I'd love that, but you don't have to…"

"Amy, I don't like seeing you in such a state. So please stay here. Just make yourself comfortable while I am in the bathroom. I will be back in a minute."

When I came back from the bathroom in my pajamas, Amy was in bed, under the covers. As I slipped between the sheets next to her, Amy came closer and snuggled up to me. I put both my arms around her and drew her to me. She nestled her head against my neck and put her hands on my waist. We both fell asleep in each other's arms, exhausted.


	22. The Self-Esteem Instability

As I woke up in the middle of the night, it took me a few seconds to remember where I was. And there he was, sound asleep, lying right up against me, so peaceful and so handsome; it was such a nice surprise and an indescribable sensation waking up in the arms of the man I love. I felt so good in his arms, I wish I could have stayed there forever; I felt so protected, it was like I belonged there.

I gazed at him for a long moment, enthralled. Then I snuggled back up to him, nestling my head in his neck and placing my hand on his chest so I could feel his heart beating in my palm. Yesterday, I was feeling pretty miserable, and Sheldon went out of his way to make me feel better. He held me in his arms for a very long time, and when he realized I was still feeling down, he offered me to spend the night in his bed with him. My only fear was that he might have felt trapped into it. And yet, I couldn't help thinking about the new Sheldon that had been around for quite some time now, more mature as far as our relationship was concerned, more considerate, and more protective. Maybe I should really start having faith in him, like he asked me to a couple of times already. After all, he told me that he loved me.

Thinking about my reaction yesterday, I felt terrible for having fallen apart like that, especially in front of him. But I guess if there was one person in the whole World I could be myself with, it would be him. I probably could not keep holding back my feelings as I had done for thirty years. I felt I could share anything with him and that he would never judged me.

I had trouble understanding my own reaction yesterday as it was clearly not the first time my family criticized me, my appearance, my choices, my life,… and there was no reason why yesterday the remarks would hurt me more than usual. And yet, it did. Was it because now I had a life I was proud of and I did not want anyone to mock it? Was it because now I had people around me that I truly loved and that loved me back, including the best boyfriend ever? Was it because I had seen Sheldon interact with his own family and it pained me when I thought about my own relationship with mine, especially my mother? Or was it because I had felt more love from my boyfriend's family over a weekend than from my own family in twenty years? I could not explain it, but a wave of sadness got hold of me gradually yesterday, from the moment they left till the moment I met with Sheldon at the airport. And then I fell apart. The fact remains that now, I'd like to be able to prove to them all, especially to Mother, that I too can be appreciated, loved even. I placed my head on Sheldon's chest, my hand in his, and fell back asleep in no time.

When I woke up, probably a couple of hours later, Sheldon was no longer in bed. I checked on my phone and it read 6.30am. Time to get up. I walked to the living room but there was no one there. Then I check in the bathroom and there was no Sheldon there either. But a note on the mirror: "Amy, I'm out to buy breakfast. I'll be back soon. Love S" I smiled as I read the word "Love". That was so sweet. I went for a quick shower, dressed up and walked to the kitchen. He still had not come back. Waiting for him, I put the water on to boil for our morning tea.

As I was placing our mugs on the counter, the door opened. Sheldon emerged with a bag of food in each hand.

"Oh! You are awake already! Good morning Amy!"

"Good morning Sheldon!"

"How are you doing this morning?" he asked as he walked to the kitchen.

"I am doing much better thank you."

He puts the bags on the counter then leant towards me and kissed me on the cheek. So delicately it made me shiver. "Ok, so you are taking care of our tea. Excellent. What do you think about scrambled eggs and bacon with toasts this morning?"

"That sounds perfect. What do you want me to do?"

"Ok, could you take care of the toasts and set the table while I cook the eggs and bacon, please?"

Once the breakfast was ready, we sat down and began eating."Sheldon, it is delicious. You really are a cordon-bleu chef."

He looked at me and smiled proudly "Meemaw taught me everything I know!"

We ate silently for a few minutes, then I broke the silence "So tell me Sheldon, how is Meemaw doing? "

Concern washed over his face "Well, I am a bit worried actually. Mum was right, she does not want to see anyone, except us. I asked her why she did not want to go to the seniors' center anymore, and she started to cry. And never replied." Staring at me "I am worried Amy. And so is my mother. »

"Maybe it is time for her to go and see a psychologist. You should tell your mum to talk about it with Dr Roberts. Your grandmother needs to talk to someone. Like I told you before Sheldon, it could be the beginning of a depression." I went on. "Dr Roberts probably knows psychologists he can recommend, but would you like me to see if I can get the name of a specialist in Houston? A colleague of mine used to work in Texas, she probably still has contacts there."

"Yes Amy,that would be great. Thanks." he paused "Amy, I think I will go back there soon. Next weekend or the weekend after. Would you come with me?"

"Well, actually, next weekend, I have that conference in Phoenix, but the following weekend, I am free, I can go with you if you want."

"I'd love that. I'd really want you to talk to Meemaw. I felt so helpless there this weekend, and you were just so wonderful with her the last time…."

His eyes were begging me, I just could not refuse. Plus I really want to go and check on her, what he just told me worried me a little. "Deal then." I replied, grabbing his hand.

"Amy, you did not talk to me about your conference in Phoenix; what is it about exactly?"

I let go of his hand. "Oh, it is a STEM conference organized by several universities and labs, including UCLA and Caltech actually. It is to promote the work of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. I am part of a panel on Friday afternoon, and I have a one hour lecture with Q&A on Saturday afternoon. I am flying there on Friday morning and will probably come back on Sunday."

He thought for a few seconds then said "Well, you can say no of course, but what would you think if I came and attended your conference? I realized I never went to one of your lectures, and would really love to attend one. I have nothing scheduled for next weekend, so maybe, if you accepted, I could join you in Phoenix on Saturday?"

I was stunned by his proposition but delighted. In three years, he had never shown much interest to my work "Sheldon I'd love that! But be aware that it won't be technical at all, the audience is teenage girls, between 12 and 20; I have to talk about my background, how I got involved in science, what my day to day activity is, etc. The idea is to try to get them interested in scientific careers."

"That is fine for me. I love to hear you talk about yourself. And who knows, maybe you will get me interested in biology…" he grinned.

I frowned. And then suddenly, I thought about something "Sheldon, yesterday I promised my mother I would go and visit them some weekend, with you. They have been insisting about meeting you, and you told me last week that you did not mind meeting them… Well, do you think we could fly directly from the conference to Palm Springs to spend Sunday there?"

He had his eyes in mine "If that's what you want Amy, I will come."

"I'd like them to meet you. I don't want to live any more weekends like this one. And I have the feeling that if they meet you, they could act differently."

"What do you mean, Amy? What happened this weekend? You looked pretty shaken yesterday… do you want to tell me more about it?"

I hesitated "Like I told you yesterday, it was nothing special. Just kind of the final straw. I am fed up because I am never good enough for them, nothing I do is ever good enough."

"I find it impossible to believe. You are wonderful." It was his turn to grab my hand.

"Thanks Sheldon. But that's not what my mother, or Richard, or the rest of the family think about me. Usually I don't mind because I am used to it. But yesterday for some reason, I could not take it anymore. And I fell apart." I knew I would have to talk to him a little more about the context before taking him there, but there just was not enough time today. "Sheldon, I really wanted to thank you so much for being there for me yesterday. Resting in your arms and hearing you tell me you love me, that was all I needed to feel better. And thanks for inviting me in your bed. I hope it did not bother you too much."

"Bother me? I have to admit Amy that it felt really natural falling asleep with you in my arms. I cannot believe we stayed like that for the whole night. And waking up and realizing you were still there was really nice. I loved it." He leant over the counter and kissed me on the lips. "And I am so glad you are feeling better this morning. I hated seeing you like that." He was staring at me with his beautiful blue eyes "Maybe someday, if you feel like it, you can tell me a little more about your family and your childhood?"

"Of course Sheldon. We have to go to work now, but I'll talk to you before we go to Palm Springs, I promise." I felt so much better after we spoke. And he too had enjoyed sleeping like that, together.

We finished our eggs, did the wash up, teasing each other and laughing, simply enjoying being together. And then we both got ready for work and left.

Monday morning at work began with a staff meeting for the IQ project. Kate, Brian and I had to agree on a questionnaire to submit to all our candidates, so that we can start interviewing the first ones in two weeks. Our shortlist was constituted with 100 names, including Raj's. On the first selection week, the three of us would have to fly to the East Coast, and meet with several candidates in Washington, Boston and New York City. Three cities in four days. Over the week, we managed to gather 150 questions that would help us evaluate the level of knowledge in several fields, as well as the background of each of our candidates. Our project was taking shape gradually and I was so excited about it. And I was really getting along with both Brian and Kate. They both were very brilliant and hard working and I felt blessed working with them. Our trip to the East Coast together promised to be very exciting.

Sheldon was also very busy this week as he and Kripke had planned to submit their paper by the end of the week. He seemed quite happy with the results, so I was glad for him. He came by on Monday for lunch though as we had to book a few flights: first, we had to see how we would sort out our weekend in Phoenix and Palm Springs. In the end, it was decided that I would fly on Friday morning so I could attend my afternoon panel, and then Sheldon would arrive on Saturday morning. My lecture was scheduled at 4pm so it gave him plenty of time to get there. I booked our rooms at the Holiday Inn next to the conference center; two singles rooms on the same floor for two nights. And then we would fly to Palm Springs on Sunday morning, just before lunch, and would fly back to LAX in the late afternoon. Then we booked our flights for Houston the following weekend, and Sheldon called his mother from my office to keep her updated about it. We talked a little with her about our concern about Meemaw. I gave her the name of a specialist she could call on my colleague's behalf. Hopefully she could get an appointment before Sheldon and I fly there. Then Sheldon left, glad with our arrangements, and I got back to my questionnaire.

Penny called me during the afternoon to check if I'd be okay for a last minute girls night. Bernadette was game for it, and Penny wanted to make sure I could make it as well. She needed us to help her choose some pictures for her portfolio. I liked the idea, and as I had nothing planned really, I told her I'd be there by 7pm. I had not checked with Sheldon what is schedule was, but I thought I heard him say he'd spend the evening at Raj's, playing D&D with the guys and Stuart.

When I arrived at Penny with the Thai take away_ it is actually quite funny that for us too now Monday evening is Thai food night, like our men!_, Bernadette was already there. Penny told us more about all the appointments she had made in the past two weeks, with photographers, agents, cast directors… She had also enrolled in a Drama School in LA were she would have classes three times a week from the beginning of July. She truly seemed to try her best to start all over again and stack all the odds in her favor. We helped her choose ten very beautiful pictures and gave her tips for her resume. She said she would have to validate all that with her new agent. She was to meet with him the following day to sign her contract.

On Tuesday night, the whole gang met at the Cheesecake factory. Before dinner, Penny invited us all for a drink at the bar, as she wanted to celebrate her new contract, which marked her new beginning as an actress. After dinner, I drove Sheldon home and we spent the rest of the evening recording a book for Meemaw; Sheldon let me choose and I decided on Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Comfortably sitting on the couch, in each other's arms, Sheldon and I read one chapter each, except when there were dialogs between Mr de Winter and the heroin; then we both played the characters. That was actually quite fun doing that together; and very romantic.

After a couple of hours, I reluctantly told Sheldon I had to go home. He leant towards me, thanked me for helping him and kissed me; it started as a very soft kiss, his lips gently brushing mine, and then he leant more and more on me and plunged his tongue into my mouth, holding my head with both his hands. I ended up almost on my back, with my head resting on the armrest of the couch. I had my hands on his sides, and then on his back. When it really got more intense, Sheldon pulled away, breathless, and obviously a little confused. He sat up and when I manage to pull myself together, so did I. I could read panic in his eyes; But as I felt he did not want to talk about it now, I got up, said goodbye, walked to the door and left. I did not understand what caused him to go silent like that. What had happened? Did he regret kissing me like that? I tossed and turned for a long time before finally going to sleep.

I left work earlier on Wednesday so I could go shopping with Penny. I needed to buy some clothes for the lecture and the interviews the following weeks. I wanted to wear something less strict than usual, and more comfortable. Penny convinced me to wear fewer layers as well, and to try wearing more comfortable shoes.

After I bought two blouses, one skirt and a pair of lovely low heels shoes, Penny and I stopped for a coffee. Taking advantage of the fact that it was just the two of us, Penny asked me for updates about Sheldon and me. Still confused about what happened the night before, I decided to ask Penny for her opinion.

"Penny, something happened yesterday, and I am not quite sure what I should think about it."

"Come on, sweetie, tell me!"

"Okay, after dinner, Sheldon and I spent the evening on the couch, together. And as I was about to leave, he began kissing me very passionately. It was just amazing." I could feel I was blushing "Then suddenly he pulled away, like scared. He did not say anything and did not even get up to lead me to the door. " I went on "I talked to him on the phone this morning, and things seem to be alright, he was talking to me as usual. But I did not understand why he reacted like that, why he pushed me away."

Penny smiled. "Sweetie, you are biologist. So surely you know what is the effect of sexual arousal on men, right?"

I was confused."Sure. Oh….! But we were just kissing each other, barely touching…"

"Well, sweetie, some men are very responsive to kisses. That is a very good sign. Our little Shelly is a grown man after all!" She grinned.

"Penny, please, stop talking about him like that."

"Sorry Sweetie. Ames, he was probably very scared about it, and did not know how to react. Be patient. Or if you feel like it, talk to him about it, make him comfortable."

"Sure Penny, I'll think about it. Oh gosh, I so did not expect that."

Penny and I went to a few more shops before heading back home with three more outfits and two more pairs of shoes. We also went to Victoria's secret for underwear. But I could not stop thinking about what Penny told me. The more I looked back on yesterday's evening's events, the more I realized she was probably right. Poor Sheldon, he must have felt so embarrassed about it. If given the opportunity, I will try to talk about it with him.

I did not see Sheldon before leaving to Arizona, as on Thursday evening, I stayed home and worked on my lecture. We skyped quickly, as he was about to play some video game with Rajesh.

I arrived in Phoenix on Friday morning. A driver was waiting for me at the airport. He drove me to my hotel first, then to the convention center where all the women invited to speak were expected for lunch. The president of the organizing committee made a speech thanking us all for our involvement and wished us a good conference. The afternoon would consist in ten panels in as many halls, constituted by field of expertise. In order to enable us knowing each other a little before the panel started, all the participants of the same panel were having lunch together at a round table in the restaurant. So at my table were gathered a microbiologist, a bioengineer, an expert in human genetics, an immunologist, a cancerologist, a neurosurgeon, a biophysicist and myself, a neurobiologist. Our panel's name was "biology and medicine". The other panels were "applied and experimental physics", "space science and industry", "geology", "computer science", "mathematics", "electronics" etc. So many brilliant women just gathered there because of their love of science and technologies, and their will to share. I was so proud to be part of it.

I got on well with the expert in human genetics, and we had a big talk about my current project. The link between genetics and intelligence had been highlighted in different studies, and I wanted to have her opinion on it. Then I talked a little with the bioengineer, who was responsible for the artificial heart that was about to be implanted in a human being soon. That was fascinating listening to her.

After lunch, we walked directly to our hall, and the panels could start. More than one hundred girls were there in front of us, with either their biology teachers or their parents. They asked very interesting questions, and so did our moderator, a high school biology teacher. I really enjoyed that first afternoon in Phoenix. And I was impressed and thrilled to see that many young girls interested in biology.

I went out for dinner with Christina, the genetics experts and two of her colleagues from Harvard, Maria, an experimental physicist, and Louise, a geologist. We had a very enjoyable evening. I went back to the hotel at around 10pm. That evening, I went to bed thinking that the next day, Sheldon would be there with me. I was really glad he cared enough to come to one of my lectures. I wished I would not disappoint him.


	23. The Boyfriend Admiration Amplification

"Knock, knock, knock Penny! Knock, knock, knock Penny! Knock, knock, knock Penny!"

"Morning Sheldon." She said in a half awake state and still in her dressing gown, as she opened the door to her apartment.

"Good morning Penny. Are you ready?"

"Give me a few seconds." She said, while heading to her bedroom. "Come in."

"Penny, I don't want to be late for the airport, hurry up please!" I insisted, standing in her living room now.

"Relax Sheldon, your plane leaves in two hours, we have plenty of time. So tell me, what are you and Amy planning to do there?" She was yelling from her bathroom.

"Well, Amy is going to lecture at a conference and I am going to attend her lecture." I said, hoping she would understand I did not want to talk to her about my relationship with Amy.

"Thanks Sheldon, I know that. I mean you are going away for the weekend with your girlfriend. Have you planned something romantic, like are you going out somewhere for dinner tonight? Are you guys sharing a room?"

"Penny, please, do you really think I will answer your questions? Once and for all, what goes on between Amy and I is none of your business."

"Oh come on Sheldon. I heard you tell her you loved her the other day. And I have seen you guys making out in a public place. That kiss, Sweetie, wow, that was so hot!" She was dressed now, and back to the living room, grinning.

Feeling that I was starting to blush. "Come on Penny, let's go, please!"

"Oh Shelly, I am just teasing you. But to be a little serious, I wanted to tell you that I am very happy for the two of you. And I have to admit I did not really trust you when you said you were working on your phobias a few months back. Now I know that you were serious about it and that you are really trying hard for Amy. That's great Sheldon." She said while grabbing her keys and leaving the apartment.

Now on the landing of the four's floor, about to go down the stairs, I simply added "I do love her Penny. I know she is the one for me." Penny looked at me, stunned and speechless, for once. I walked down the stairs in a hurry. "Now let's go!"

Amy and I had decided not to tell our friends we were spending the Sunday at her mother's. They thought we would stay for the whole weekend in Arizona. It was obviously a delicate situation for Amy, she did not need everyone to know about it.

Unlike what Penny figured, neither Amy nor I had even thought about sharing a room in Phoenix. In my opinion, it was too early in our relationship. Yes, we shared a bed last Sunday, but that was only because I knew Amy needed to feel me next to her after a difficult day. And surprisingly I did enjoy having her in my arms for the whole night. But I was not ready yet for that level of intimacy. For instance, that morning, when I woke up with her in my arms, I realized that my body was responding to that physical closeness. And again last Tuesday evening when I let myself go and kissed her passionately, her hands on me, stroking my sides and then my back… It's like I am slowly becoming a slave to my baser urges. I don't know how to process that and it frightens me a little.

I arrived at the hotel at around 12pm. As I checked in, I was given an envelope left for me by Amy, containing a badge for the convention center. After a quick shower, I dressed with the dark suit, a green shirt and a green flower patterned tie I knew she liked and went out for lunch. By 2pm, I was inside the convention center. Amy's lecture was scheduled at 4pm. I had tried to send her text messages ever since I arrived in Phoenix but got no answer so far. I decided she was probably busy preparing her presentation so I had a look at the program; I chose a lecture by Dr Samantha Neill, PhD in particle physics, who works at the theoretical physics department in Princeton. She is one of the leading experts on particle physics and cosmology. She has been working on string theory for many years and even developed a model, which has unfortunately never been demonstrated. She is a role model for many theoretical scientists. I had met with her a few times, but it is always interesting listening to her talking about her work. This is how I realized how big this Phoenix event was. And my girlfriend was one of the speakers. That meant Amy was to neurobiology what Dr Samantha Neill was to theoretical science. I felt very proud of Amy when I realized that.

As I was here."

"So, how are you feeling? Are you nervous?" I asked her.

"Actually, I am. That's stupid, I have spoken at many events before, but I always feel nervous beforehand."

"Tell me about it!" I said, remembering my own experiences. "But don't worry, you will be great. Come here!" And I invited her in my arms. She wrapped her arms around my waist and put her face on my shoulder for a few seconds.

"What an effective way to calm me down! It never fails." Then as she pulled back, she looked at my suit. Rearranging my tie knot, she said "I think I have told you before but I really like that suit, especially with this green shirt. You look so handsome in it."

"Thank you." And then I realized she was wearing an outfit I had never seen before. I was a black skirt suit and a white blouse, with black low heels shoes. "And you look great in this suit. That is very classy."

"Thank you Sheldon. Penny and I went shopping on Wednesday and bought a few things." She looked at her watch. "I am sorry Sheldon, I need to go and meet someone before the lecture. I see you there?"

"Sure, Hall 211A, 4pm. I think I will go back to Dr Neill's lecture, and then I will try to find another one before yours."

"Awesome. There is a very nice exhibition about the most inspirational women in science in the main hall. You should go and check it."She reached up for a kiss on the lips, which I willingly gave her and she left.

I went back to Dr Neill's lecture and also stayed for her Q&A session. Then I went to the main hall and was indeed impressed by all the descriptions of these great women. Pictures, biographies, examples of their researches were on display. Marie Curie, Jane Goodall and Maria Mayer of course, but also Rosalind Franklin, Barbara McLintock, Rita Levi… I was familiar with some of them and their work, but not all of them. I particularly liked the board describing the discoveries on the atomic nucleus that got Ms Mayer her Nobel Prize. Then I found out that a lecture by an astrophysicist from Caltech was about to start in the hall next to Amy's, so I decided to go there. I stayed there for thirty minutes and then it was 3.45pm; time to go to hall 211A to attend my girlfriend's lecture.

I sat in the fifth row, a bit on the side so that Amy could see me if she needed to feel some support, but not too close, so she would not be disturbed by my presence. The conference began with an introduction to Amy's presentation by a member of the organizing committee, Dr Laura White; Dr White, a woman in her forties, is the head of the neuroscience department at MIT. She praised Amy's research work and distinctions, including her paper published in Neuron last year. After that brilliant introduction, Amy appeared on stage; she cast a glimpse at me and then began with her speech. She talked about her background and especially her father, a high school mathematics teacher who was responsible for her love for science. But she explained that after his death, she had not been encouraged to pursue her studies in this area because she was a girl. And then in high school, she met with a female biology teacher that got her interested in biology and encouraged her to go on. Then she went to UCLA where she got both her bachelor and her PhD in Neurobiology. She went on with her résumé, and detailed one by one her main research works, explaining exactly what it was about. I was very impressed with how comfortable she looked on that stage. She was very eloquent and charismatic, and managed to captivate the attention of her audience without any apparent effort; she was a natural speaker. She sometimes looked at me and gave me smiles. I guess she could read on my face that I was enthralled with what she was saying. After one hour that went by quite fast, she ended her speech that way:

"As a female neurobiologist, I can only encourage you, young women, to embrace the sciences. It's an incredibly enlightening way to view the World once you've been trained in STEM, it's a smart career choice and it's a creative and exciting lifestyle to be a scientist! Thanks you for listening."

After the speech and the applause following it, Amy went to sit next to Dr White on stage for a 30 minutes Q&A sessions. Quite a few young girls seemed very interested in her work and wanted to know a little more about it. Then she was asked by a teacher how she thought sciences should be presented to women to begin with. She answered brilliantly to everything; she looked so comfortable up there. The session finished on a question by Dr White about her next research work, and she talked about her IQ project.

After it was over, she stayed for a few more minutes, exchanging email addresses and phone numbers with quite a few people. Then she went on talking to two women and Dr White. She waved at me as she saw I was waiting for her next to the stage. Reluctantly, I climbed the steps, walked towards the group of women and stood next to my girlfriend, placing my arm around her waist. The women stopped talking and Amy introduced us.

"Dr White, Dr Morales and Dr Perry, this is my boyfriend Dr Sheldon Cooper, who is a brilliant theoretical scientist at Caltech. Sheldon, this is Dr Laura White, head of the neuroscience department at MIT, Dr Christina Morales, expert in genetics at Harvard, and Dr Jane Perry, experimental physicist at Harvard."

"Dr White, Dr Morales, Dr Perry, nice to meet you." Then I turned towards Amy "Dr Fowler, you were brilliant." I could see she appreciated the compliment as she started blushing a little.

"That's what we were telling her, Dr Cooper. Your girlfriend sure did convince some young girls to envisage working in the field of neurobiology today." Dr White said.

"Thank you Laura. I really appreciated being part of this conference. Everything was so well organized. Thanks for inviting me. "

We all stayed there for a few more minutes. Dr Perry and I had a little talk about string theory as Amy was talking genetics with the other two ladies. Then they all said goodbye and exchanged phone numbers and left the room as Amy put away her computer and documents. When there was just the two of us in the room, I turned to her and took her in my arms "Amy, you were just amazing!" I said as I was holding her close and kissed her softly on the mouth.

"Wow, I should have asked you to come to one of my lectures sooner!" She grinned as she pulled away. "Let me just tidy up a little and we can go back to the hotel and get ready to go out and celebrate."

We both went back to our respective room to freshen up and change; we met downstairs at 7.30pm. I still had the same suit on, but with a white shirt and the yellow tie that she had bought me on my birthday. When she arrived in the lobby, Amy was wearing a light blue dress that stopped just below the knees with a white wool jacket and the same shoes she had on earlier at the conference. Probably something else she had bought recently.

"Amy, you look great." I said as she came closer to me.

"Thank you Sheldon. Actually, I also like that suit with this white shirt, and the tie." She said carefully studying my suit. Then she turned towards the reception "let me just check with the reception if there is a restaurant they recommend around here."

"No, Amy, don't bother, I already asked them and they booked a table for us in a downtown restaurant. The taxi should be here in a minute."

"Well, thanks for taking care of everything, Sheldon."

It only took us a few minutes to get to the restaurant. It looked as nice as the receptionist had told me. Amy seemed to appreciate it.

"Sheldon This place is beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." I said as we both sat down.

We talked a little about the conference; she told me about the panel she had been part of yesterday and the different lectures she had attended this morning. She sounded so enthusiastic about the whole experience. It was very interesting listening to her.

We started by ordering two glasses of Champagne. I don't usually drink alcohol, but I thought I'd make an exception tonight. Amy seemed surprised but delighted.

"To a very brilliant girlfriend and her very impressed boyfriend!" I said, smiling.

She grinned as she raised her glass for the toast.

"So Amy please, tell me now, how come I learnt more about your childhood and your teenage years today than in the three years we've known each other?"

Discomfort washed her face "Maybe because I don't like talking about myself, except if the purpose is to inspire young people."

"Well, I was very touched when you talked about your father, and that love for science you shared. It reminded me of my relationship with Pop-Pop." I confessed.

"Alright. I guess I should tell you more about all that before you meet my mother tomorrow."

"Well, it would help I guess."

"So as I said in my speech, Dad was a math teacher in high school and Mother was a real estate agent. They had been married for over ten years when I was born. I guess they were pretty sure they would never have any children and had gotten used to the idea; and then one day my mother discovered that she was three months pregnant with me. My father, who was already in his forties, was delighted with the idea, but from what I heard from my aunt, my mother was not impressed. She had gotten used living a childless life with Dad and liked her life as it was." She stopped as the waiter came back to take our orders.

After he left, she went on "So as I grew up, I was my dad's little girl. Especially as very early, he realized I had a scientific mind like his. He made me recite the square roots and cube roots of many numbers before I was even four years old. And we played many games involving figures together. I loved him so much." She paused to drink a sip of water "My relationship with my mother was, on the other hand, a bit difficult. I guess she considered our special bond with jealousy, as if I were stealing her husband from her a little. Of course, at the time I did not understand it, but I did feel my relationship with my mother was not what it usually is between a mother and her daughter. But I did not really care as I had Dad. Then when I turned ten, my dad got cancer. He died within ten months. It was the end of my World as I knew it. I was absolutely devastated. Outside of my dad, I had no one, no friends, no siblings, and I did not get along with my cousins my age who thought I was strange." She had lowered her eyes and was not staring at the table as she went on. "The year he was sick was terrible for me, as I was not allowed to stay home and was sent to a boarding school in San Diego. I only came back for a few days for the holidays, and each time, Dad was feeling worse. Then one day my mother called at school to tell me he had just died." I reached for her hand as I could hear in her voice it was difficult for her to go on. "After his death, I stayed at the boarding school until I got my high school degree at 16. I hated it there, I was by myself most of the time; except for my biology teacher, who had taken pity on me and spent lots of time teaching me the basics of genetics, the nervous system and so on. After high school, I went to UCLA where I could get in thanks to a scholarship."

"During the whole time, did your relationship with your mother change?"

"Not much. With her, I always had the feeling I was not the daughter she would have wanted. And in the meantime, my mother had remarried and moved to Palm Springs with Richard, a widower, and his four children. And when I first saw her with Richard's daughters, I understood why we could not get along. They were always so pretty and well dressed. My mother could go shopping with them, and enjoyed that. Can you imagine that I did not even have a bedroom when I visited them? I had to sleep on the couch, in the living room." She had tears in her eyes "It was like I was a guest in my mother's home. Actually, Aunt Flora, my father's aunt, was the only one that I have pleasure visiting when I had days off. And at least with her, I could talk about Dad."

"But you were a brilliant student; surely your mother was proud of that?"

"I don't think so. I have never heard anything but criticism from my mother. But I just could not stop visiting her, could I? After all, she is my mother. So I learnt to deal with the criticisms."

"I am so sorry about all that Amy. I can understand why you are so depressed when you see them." I paused "Did you break down the other day because of me and my family?"

"I don't know Sheldon. Maybe. Your family loves you so much. I could not help comparing."

"I feel so bad complaining about my childhood in Texas now."

"Don't. I know you were bullied too. And I know too well it is not easy being different. But at least you had a loving family."

The waiter arrived with our orders. I let go of her hand and decided to switch the conversation back to her lecture and some of the research work she talked about today. The end of the dinner went smoothly. The food was delicious, and I was fascinated by what she was telling me about some of her research works.

At some point, she looked at me in the eyes and said "Interesting. So I did it, actually!"

"What did you do?"

"I got you interested in Neurobiology." She grinned.

"No, you got me interested in everything that concerns you, you vixen!" I said, smiling back.

Her tale had moved me. And I understood better what her situation was when we first met. And I could measure what huge steps she had made in the past three years. I was glad that I had my Meemaw and Mum in my life. I knew they were people I could always count on. Amy did not have anyone like that, except maybe her aunt; but now she has me, and our group of friends. No wonder why it was so painful for her to go back and visit them, it brought her back to the time when she had a very low self esteem. But these times are over, and I will be there with her tomorrow to help her go through that ordeal.

After dinner, we got back to the hotel and she invited me to her room for some chamomile tea. We both sat on the couch and cuddled while drinking our tea, in silence. Then, as I left her room, I kissed her goodnight very tenderly as I could feel that was what she needed tonight.

We met in the lobby at 7am the next morning. Amy looked pretty tired, as if she had not slept much. We left directly for the airport and had breakfast there. During the flight, she put her head on my shoulder and managed to sleep a little. I stayed awake and looked at her during the whole flight, stroking her hair from time to time.

When we arrived at Palm Springs' airport, we collected the rental car Amy had booked online and headed towards Amy's mother's house. I could feel she was very tense. As we got out of the car, I extended my hand towards her. She grabbed it and we walked together hand in hand to the door. I told her "Come on, relax, everything is going to be alright." She stared at me, breathed out and then rang the bell.

A sixty-something lady opened the door. I recognized her immediately as I had talked to her on skype a few years ago. "Good morning Mother!" Amy said.

"Good Morning Amy. Please enter quickly; I have something on the stove, I need to go back to the kitchen."

"Mother, you remember Sheldon?" She said as we got in.

"Hi Sheldon, nice to meet you; for real this time."

"Good morning Mrs …" I realized I had no idea what her new name was.

"Smith is the name." she said.

"Nice to meet you again Mrs Smith."

"Amy, you two go to the living room, Richard will be meeting you there in a few minutes."

**A/N: I realize I have been very talkative in this chapter. But Amy is my favorite character and I wanted 1) to show how brilliant she is 2) to have Sheldon realize how brilliant she is (but I'm pretty sure he already knew) and 3) to explain a little bit where she comes from. And I really wanted this whole chapter to be told through Sheldon's POV.**

**The end of speech I used was inspired by a speech Mayim made on TV when she talked about DeVry university a few months back. **

**Please let me know if you liked it, I have to admit I am anxious about this one, as I used lots of personal stuff in it. ;-)**


	24. The Unfortunate Incident Turbulence

Sheldon had been studying me carefully ever since we had left my mother's house. Finally, as we were getting close to the airport, he broke the silence "So, Amy, please tell me, what do you think? Did it go well?"

I took some time to reply "Well, actually, I think it did go well. Much better than last week end, that's for sure." Sheldon seemed relieved. I smiled and added "Actually, I think my mother liked you Sheldon."

He sighed softly "Ok, good. I can confess it to you, Amy: after what you told me yesterday, I was quite prejudiced against her. But except for these two ridiculous remarks at the beginning, I thought she was quite nice. And the food was excellent."

"Oh, these comments were nothing compared to usual. And thank you for defending me."

"I did not defend you, I simply told the truth. I like the way you dress and I like the way you comb your hair. And like I said, I find you very especially good looking today in this new outfit."

"Thank you Sheldon." I was blushing. I was not used to hearing him, or anyone for that matter, compliment me on my looks.

"By the way, I did not really appreciate Richard's comment on your so called lack of social skills either. At that moment, I considered getting up and leaving. "

"Yes, I noticed that you were quite irritated; you were squeezing my hand so hard at that moment I almost screamed!" I said, with a smile.

"I am sorry Amy. It's just that I thought he was being so unfair, I could not stand it."

"Again, thanks for the lovely things you said."

"And again, I told nothing but the truth. I was quite impressed yesterday at the conference. Of course, I knew how brilliant you are as a neurobiologist. Yesterday I discovered how good a speaker you are! And the way you interacted with these young girls! I mean, for someone with no social skills, that was not too bad!" he said, using sarcasm, obviously still sensitive on the matter.

"I think that from that moment on, they understood they should stop criticizing me in front of you. And then it went fine. They even asked me more about the conference and my work. It had never happened before. You are my knight in shining armor, Dr Sheldon Lee Cooper." I looked at him, grinning.

"Oh I am okay with that! A knight! I like the image actually!" he looked back at me, grinning as well.

"But seriously, thanks so much for coming with me, Sheldon." I said with a tear in my eye "And for making it a bearable family lunch. It was very important for me." He placed his hand on my cheek, wiping the tear that was swelling at the corner of my eye. "Please don't cry, Amy, I don't like it when you do."

What I liked most about flying with Sheldon was being able to cuddle up to him on the plane; and today, after a night tossing and turning, I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as we took off. Delicately, as we both sat up, I leant my head on his shoulder and put my hand on his chest. And he let me do it, without saying anything. I woke up two hours later feeling his lips kissing my cheek and then hearing his voice whispering to my ear that we had just landed. Such a lovely way to wake up!

We did not come back late that Sunday, as we landed at 6.30pm; yet, we had decided that tonight again I would sleep in Leonard's bedroom, in order to avoid driving to and fro after such a tiring weekend. And I think that the two of us had appreciated the few days together when Penny was away so much that we were looking forward to living that again, even for just a night. As Sheldon and I arrived in front of the apartment building, we bumped into Penny, who was just coming back from the Cheesecake Factory. We decided to have dinner together and to meet at ours at 8pm, the time for everyone to get ready.

When I came back to the living room after a quick shower, Sheldon was sitting on his spot, reading the magazine about comics he had just collected from the mail box. I grabbed the copy of Time Magazine that I had bought at the airport and silently, I took a cushion from the chair, placed it on his legs and settled down, with my head on the in silence, he placed one hand on my hair and began stroking it slowly. This is how Penny found us thirty minutes later.

"Hey guys, here comes dinner … Oh, wow!"

"Penny please, don't start." Sheldon frowned.

"Alright Sweetie, sorry. I guess I have to get used to that. But you guys are so cute!"

We both sat up, blushing and we opened the bag full of food that Penny had just placed on the coffee table.

"So tell me, how was Phoenix?"

"It was great. The conference was very interesting. I met a few brilliant ladies with whom I could talk about my new project and I attended many interesting panels and lectures." I replied, enthusiastic.

"I concur, that was indeed very interesting. And Amy's lecture was very successful." Sheldon said, looking at me with something that could be mistaken with pride in the eyes.

"Okay great. But I meant, how was the city? What did you visit? Did you go out?" Penny went on, obviously trying to know more about our time together there.

"We went to a nice restaurant yesterday night." I replied.

"That's great! And what did you guys do today? Did you visit?"

We looked at each other, remembering that Penny did not know about our real schedule today and equally embarrassed to lie to her, we tacitly decided to tell her the truth.

"Actually Penny we left Phoenix early this morning. So we did not have time to visit." I simply said.

"You left early this morning? I don't understand Amy."

"Well Penny, if you really want to know, on our way back from Phoenix, we stopped in Palm Springs, where we had lunch at Amy's mother's" Sheldon explained.

"You had lunch to Amy's mother's? Wow!" Penny looked at the two of us, quite stunned. "How did it go?"

"Well, quite well actually." I said looking towards Sheldon "They both liked Sheldon. My mother and my stepfather I mean."

"Really?" Penny asked, snorting with derision.

"Penny, I don't see why you seem that surprised. You know I am always a delight. How could they not appreciate me?"

Both Penny and I looked at each other, grinning at that remark. Sheldon frowned at first, then smiled as well.

We had a very nice evening with Penny; she talked to us about her upcoming castings and gave us updates about Leonard, and we explained a little more the purpose of the conference, Sheldon going on singing my praises. The whole evening, Sheldon had been quite demonstrative; he held my hand a few times, he ate food from my plate and he even placed his hand on my knee on one occasion. Penny pretended not to pay attention, but I could see in her eyes that it felt odd to her. She left quite early as she was to video chat with Leonard at 9pm.

As I saw her to the door while Sheldon was clearing the table, she whispered "Oh my God Amy! What have you done to Sheldon? Last week he said he loved you, and this week he flies to Arizona to attend your lecture and heaps praises on you, he accepts to meet your mother and he lets you stay at his place tonight again. And all these displays of affection! Seriously, Amy, you vixen, what have you done to my weirdo of a neighbor?"

"Nothing. I guess he had all this inside of him for the whole time. Someone just needed to be patient to discover it, that's all." I said, grinning.

"You were patient indeed!" Penny smiled back "What about we have a girls night at your place tomorrow? We can talk more then."

"Alright, but if you want to talk about Sheldon, it has to be just the two of us. No one else knows anything about the last events and I'd like to keep it a secret for a while."

"Sure Sweetie. I call you tomorrow. Good night! And a little louder "Night Sheldon." And she left.

I went to the kitchen to help Sheldon with the washing up and the tea preparation.

"Alright Amy", he said when we were done, "what about resuming our reading of Rebecca for Meemaw? I nodded "Can you please grab the book and the recorder, it is on my desk?" He said as he placed both our tea mugs on the coffee table and sat in the middle of the couch. I placed the recorder on the table and I stood there, with the book in my hand, waiting for him to move to his spot, so I could sit down next to him. But he stayed there, and patted the cushion next to him, on his spot.

"Mmmm Sheldon, you want me to sit on your spot?"

"Yep. My turn to relax with my head on your laps. Remember, it is my new favorite spot" He said, grabbing a cushion from the end of the couch and giving it to me.

"Fair enough." I said, both surprised and delighted.

We resumed reading at chapter 13, each of us reading one chapter alternately; it was so cozy sitting that way with his head on my laps and it felt so intimate reading together out loud. I loved listening to his voice as he was reading Daphne Du Maurier's lines. And I was aware of Sheldon's intense gaze on me when I was reading my I finished chapter 21, where the young Mrs De Winter realizes that her husband truly loves her, Sheldon paused for a few seconds. I handed him the book for him to continue reading. He grabbed it but instead of reading it, he closed it and put it on the coffee table.

Then slowly he sat up, and not breaking eye contact with me, he placed his hand on my cheek, very tenderly. The touch of his hand was so soft, I almost shivered. Then he leant towards me and brushed his lips against a few minutes, his eyes closed, he placed several gentle kisses on my lips. Then he parted his lips, and I parted mine, so he could slip his tongue in my mouth. The kiss became quite passionate and it felt so nice. But it quickly became very heated, especially when his hands started exploring my body; first he had both his hands on my cheeks, then in my hair, stroking it softly, then he placed one of them on my sides, and finally that hand landed on my breast, stroking it. The sensation of his palm on my breast was too much to handle for me; I felt my face redden and my heart speed up. I had to break the embrace. I pulled away from the kiss. "Sheldon, please stop!" I said firmly, and I sat against the arm of the couch.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked at me, quite startled, as if I had just woke him up from a dream. Then he moved to the end of the couch, sat on the edge and put his head in his hands. "Oh Amy, I am so sorry. I just…. I don't know what happened. One minute I was listening to your voice, then I was kissing you and then my hands…. I'm sorry."

I was slowly pulling myself together on his spot, already regretting my reaction. I managed to mumble "That's fine, Sheldon. It's just that it surprised me. I'm sorry for pushing you away." Then as I was trying to get closer to him, I realized he was in the same condition as the other evening; he was aroused, and trying to hide it from me.

I sat in the middle of the couch, turned towards him. "Sheldon, look at me please."

"No Amy, I can't"

"Sheldon please."

He looked up to me. He had tears rolling on his cheeks.

"Sheldon, I am sorry. The kiss was very intense, your touch was very intense. And then you touched my breast…Sheldon, it scared me a little; I am not used to being touched like that. Do you understand me?"

"Yes" He replied, sobbing.

"Please tell me you are not mad at me."

"I am not mad at you Amy. I am mad at myself. I don't know what got over me. It's just, I saw you there, I wanted to kiss you, then I want to touch you…. And now …" He lowered his head and placed his hands back on his face.

I wanted to place my hand on his arm, and for some reason did not. I did not really know what to do or what to say next. So I got up and said "Sheldon, I will go freshen up in the bathroom then I will go to sleep. I am so sorry. Good night." And I almost rushed to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was red. I could not believe what had just happened. Sheldon Cooper had made a move, he had started to "erotically caress my breasts" exactly as in our D&D game. And I freaked out. What the hell happened to me? And now, he is alone, on the couch, crying and ashamed. I started to cry as well. Then I tried to pull myself together, and headed towards my bedroom. A few minutes later, I heard the bathroom door close and the shower run. Poor Sheldon, probably needing a cold shower to calm down. I put on my pajamas, then grabbed my phone. I had to ask Penny what to do. Surely she would be able to help me. I send her a text message.

**"****Penny, are you awake? My God, I am at a loss. Sheldon made a move and I pushed him away. I feel terrible. What can I do? A"**

The reply arrived immediately** "Come on Amy, calm down, tell me more, what happened exactly?"**

**"****He touched my breasts. I freaked out and pushed him away. He moved to the other side of the couch and he began to cry. I feel terrible Penny! "**

**"****Amy, where are you now? Where is he? "**

**"****I am in Leonard's room, ready to go to sleep. He is in the bathroom."**

**"****Did you guys talk after what happened?"**

**"****I told him I was sorry, that I had been taken aback, that I am not used being touched like that. Oh Penny, he must hate me now."**

**"****Amy, he is probably more ashamed than mad at you. And remember, he loves you Sweetie. I don't think there is much you can do tonight, you need to calm down first. But talk to him tomorrow morning. He needs to know what is going on."**

**"****I love him Penny. But it was so intense all of a sudden. I really need to explain it all to him tomorrow morning."**

**"****I know Amy. Just try to relax now. Try to sleep, and you will talk to him tomorrow."**

**"****Alright Penny. Thanks. Goodnight."**

**"****Goodnight Amy. I am always here for you. Call me tomorrow."**

As expected I did not sleep well. I heard Sheldon go back to his room after thirty minutes. I felt terrible.

In the morning, I woke up at 6am. But I waited for Sheldon to get up and go to the bathroom. Once I heard Sheldon had left it, I went there. Then once cleaned and dressed, I went to the kitchen. Sheldon was there, making tea.

"Good morning Sheldon."

"Good morning Amy" he said, turning towards me but not looking at me in the eyes. He looked exhausted. Poor Sheldon.

"Sheldon, can we talk please?"

"I am busy making breakfast Amy, can we talk later?" then he opened the fridge, as to hide behind its door.

"No. Sheldon, look at me." He did not move "Sheldon, please!" He raised his head and finally looked up to me.

"Please sit down." I sat down on one of the chair by the counter, and invited him to sit on the chair facing mine. He sat down. "Sheldon, I am sorry for yesterday. Really. Not sorry because you kissed me, or because you touched me and not sorry because your body obviously reacted to that." He blushed at that remark "Sheldon, I'm sorry because I was not ready for that and because I reacted terribly. I should not have pushed you away and yelled at you like I did." He was staring at his own hands on the counter. "Sheldon, I know I told you that I wanted a physical relationship, and I do want it, but you have to realize that I am as inexperienced as you at all that. This is all new to you, but you have to remember it is all new to me as well. "He raised his head and looked at me "Where you touched me yesterday, well no one ever touched me there before you. That sensation, I was not ready for that. It felt good, but it was too intense."

"I too felt things I was not prepared for. I feel ashamed Amy. I don't know what happened to me, it's like I am slave to my baser urges. I mean, yesterday, I could not control myself. All I could think of was you, I wanted you, and there was that sensation inside of me… Oh Amy, I am so sorry. Can you forgive me?"

I grabbed both his hands "There really is nothing to forgive you for. And you did control yourself, because when I asked you to stop, you stopped." I paused " If things are going too fast for both of us, maybe we can just slow down a little, and when we are both comfortable to move on, we talk about it together? What do you think about it?"

"I'd love that." He replied. He was definitely more relaxed now.

"I think we can keep holding hands, hugging, cuddling, kissing and touching each other like we have been doing for these past few weeks, but if one of us wants to make a move to the next stage, the most important is that we talk, and express our feelings about it. I won't judge you, and I know you won't judge me. I love you Sheldon."

"And I love you Amy."

"Sheldon, please let's not make such a big deal out of it. We are both learning."

"Yes Amy."

"Thank you" then I stood up and kiss him tenderly on the cheek. "Okay, so now let's prepare that breakfast, I'm hungry!"

I could see relief wash over his face. He got up and followed me in the kitchen. "What do you think about cereals and toasts this morning?"

"I think this is perfect Sheldon."


	25. The Shamy Love Complexity

**A/N: So this chapter will be told from Penny's POV. I just thought it would be nice to have the opinion of probably the person that knows them both best. I hope you enjoy it. Please review to let me know what you think about it.**

I got back from 4A, where I had dinner with Sheldon and Amy, at 9pm. Just in time for my skype session with Leonard.

"Hello Darling!" I said as his face appeared onscreen.

"Good evening beautiful! It is so nice to see you."

"You too! I miss you so much."

"So do I." he sighed then went on "So tell me, what is new at home?"

"Oh my God Leonard, you would not believe how much things have changed here in a month's time!" I spontaneously answered.

"What things?"

"I am just back from your apartment; I had dinner with Sheldon and Amy, and …."

"And?"

I hesitated to go on, remembering the promise I had made. And yet, it was too late, I had said far too much to stop now. "Sheldon and Amy are very close now."

"Close how? Like they sleep together?" Leonard looked stunned.

"No, I don't think so…. not yet. But Amy sometimes stays for the night, sleeping in your bedroom, like tonight. And they spent the weekend together at a conference where Amy was lecturing; Sheldon even met Amy's mother today. And last week, I heard them tell each other that they loved one another."

"What? Are you really talking about the Sheldon Cooper, Mr "I'm so interesting all by myself I don't need anyone"?"

"The one and only! But Leonard, I have to admit that they are really cute together. It is nice to see them like that, holding hands, cuddling, kissing, like any normal couple." I added. "You should see them, they both look so happy."

"Well, Amy has been very patient over the years, it was high time that Sheldon finally behaved like a real boyfriend to her, don't you think so? I wonder what happened to make him change so much that fast though…."

"I think it happened during that D&D night, in Sheldon's bedroom. I don't know what happened exactly, but I have the feeling things changed that night. And Amy helping him when his Meemaw had her stroke probably helped him realize things." I said thoughtfully.

Leonard nodded "Yes, you might be right. I too noticed something different between then after that night. And his Meemaw means the World to him; I can definitely see him having an epiphany after such a shock."

"You are right, Amy deserves it. And I'm happy for Sheldon too. Good for him if he finally realized how good they are for each other." I went on "Leonard, please, keep it to yourself, they did not tell anyone, and I only know because I guessed there was something going on and almost forced them to tell me; but I think Amy is scared that Sheldon would freak out if the others knew. We all know how he is."

"I won't say a thing, promised." He went on "So now Penny, tell me, how did it go with you first castings this past weeks?"

And we went on talking about both my new career and his life on the boat for about thirty minutes. Then I sat on the couch and watched some old episodes of Sex and the City.

The second episode had just finished when my phone vibrated. It was a text message from Amy. I opened it and could not believe what I read. Apparently, Sheldon had tried to touch Amy's bosom but she freaked out, and now he was freaking out as well and she didn't know what to do. I told her to calm down, go to sleep and talk to him first thing in the morning. And to call me later so we could talk about Amy, she really sounded miserable. I have to admit I didn't really understand why Amy would freak out like that. She is always telling me how much she'd like things to move on with Sheldon, how much she'd like to have a physical relationship with him. And when finally he seems to try something, she pushes him away.I stayed there, on my couch, with a glass of white wine in my hand, thinking about the Shamy and how it has always been difficult to understand them; their relationship really is like no other.

First, when they met each other, it was like both Sheldon and Amy realized they were not alone as they had always thought; they were so alike then. The two of them were geniuses and very brilliant in their respective fields. They shared the same love for science and had the same attitude towards life and relationships. And they were both socially obvious similarities allowed them to bond very quickly and they found a complicity neither of them had experienced before with another human being. I think the two of them finally found someone they could respect on every level, and consider their equal.

Sheldon is someone very special. He is one of these beautiful minds, these geniuses that are brilliant with their work, and that have difficulties to adjust to life. I met Sheldon seven years ago when I moved in. He and Leonard were sharing the apartment next door. Eventually, Leonard and I started dating, and I created some kind of a bond with Sheldon as well. Sometimes, he is like a very annoying old brother to me, making fun of my lack of science knowledge or mocking my acting career, and sometimes he is like a little brother that I have to protect or sing to when he is sick. I have grown fond of Sheldon over the years, but most of the time, I don't understand him. I truly never thought he would find his perfect mate. And yet Amy Farrah Fowler appeared in our lives one day three years ago.I have to admit that at first I did not appreciate Amy because the Shamy was even more annoying together than Sheldon alone. But very soon, it was obvious to everyone that Amy would be around for a long time. She gradually became a member of our little group of , Amy and I have begun going out together, for girls night out or shopping afternoons. And I learnt to appreciate Amy. Poor Amy had never had any friends before she met Sheldon; apparently, she lived a difficult childhood, which she would never talk about, except for anecdotes that make you feel really bad for she arrived in the group, she completely lacked social skills and acted pretty awkwardly sometimes. But she is a fast learner, and now she is a friend who I really like hanging out with.

At first, both Amy and Sheldon insisted that they weren't in a romantic relationship, that they were just friends. But they fooled no one, as they always spent so much time together, in person or on skype or the phone. We all understood that there was definitely something more than friendship between them during a girls' night out; Sheldon joined us that evening because he was feeling low, and a drunken Amy tried to seduce him. And he seemed responsive, to a finally became an item when a very jealous Sheldon got scared that Amy would leave him for Stuart; he asked her if she'd accept becoming his girlfriend and of course she said yes.

From that moment on, Amy has been very patient with Sheldon, letting him get involved in the relationship at his own pace, giving him time to learn how a boyfriend was supposed to she mostly seemed satisfied with the relationship. I mean, in front of us, he still was the same old Sheldon, selfish and arrogant. But Amy said that with her, there was another side of Sheldon, more charming, more , I could even witness it myself as I was there when he bought her a diamond tiara as an apology gift. It was the perfect gift for her. Amy had definitely changed Sheldon, for the best.

From the beginning, Sheldon warned Amy that he was not interested in a physical relationship, and wrote it down in one of his stupid contracts: the relationship agreement. Poor Amy probably had no choice but to accept it, as she was already so in love with him. But what really annoyed her was the lack of displays of affection. Almost no kisses, no skin contact, except occasional hand holding, for over two years. She complained several times to us about that, but kept on hoping that one day he would be more affectionate.

One day, because I considered the two of them like good friends and I wanted to make sure of Sheldon's involvement in the relationship, I asked him bluntly if he would ever become intimate with Amy. And to my surprise, he confessed that he had been working on his touch issues and thought that they might someday sleep together. I was in shock, but decided not to say a word about it to Amy, as Sheldon obviously needed time to work on his issues, and if Amy needed to clear things up with him, she should ask him directly.

I think the big talk took place on the D&D night a month ago. That night, after I had too much to drink, and because I was a bit mad at Amy for spoiling our week end in Vegas, I pushed the Shamy a little too far and hurt Amy in the process. As Sheldon went to talk to her and calm her down, I think they had the big talk that helped them bounce back. But I don't know for sure what happened. Maybe someday Amy will tell me. Anyways now, they are working together on his issues and everything was going fine, until that incident tonight. I really hope they can sort it out. And I'll be there to help, if necessary.

I got up at 9am the following morning and went to work for the noon shift. Just before my shift started, I received a phone call from Amy. She explained to me what happened, and that was more or less what I had guessed:Sheldon had become too intense, touching her bosom during a passionate kiss; she got scared. Then she regretted her reaction but did not know how to comfort him. So she left him there, said that they talked this morning, and that he was doing much better. But she still needed to see me tonight for some advice. We decided to meet at hers at 7pm.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that Amy is as inexperienced as Sheldon as far as relationships are tend to forget about it because she seems more willing than Sheldon to become physical with him, but Amy is also a virgin. She never even had any boyfriend in her whole life, even as a teenager. Also, unlike Sheldon, Amy seems to be hung-up about her body: she always wears so many layers even when she is only with Bernadette and me, and she never lets us convince her to buy something else, something less loose and more feminine. I really think the poor girl suffered very much as a teenager from being rejected, and now as a result she probably hates her body to the point she feels she has to hide it from everyone. A month ago, she even punched a female TSA agent that was supposedly too handsy during a body check. But is it to the point that she cannot even let her boyfriend touch her?

As I got back home to change after work before heading to Amy's, I heard Sheldon's signature knock on my door.

"Hi Sheldon, what can I do for you?" I tried to say as cheerful as possible.

"Hi Penny." He hesitated "I would like to talk to you… May I come in?"

"Sure sweetie, what is going on?"

"Penny, I am having a relationship problem with Amy, and usually I would have talked to Leonard, but as you know he is not available for a men's talk." He said as he sat down on my couch.

"Well so you decided to come and talk to me instead. That's nice, Sheldon. How can I help you?" I sat down next to him.

"It is also because you are the only one who is aware of the recent progress that occurred between Amy and me. And the two of you are best friends, so I thought you could maybe help me understand things better."

"Come on Sweetie, what is going on?"

"Penny, something happened yesterday and I really don't know what to think about it."

"What happened?"

"Well, as you know Amy spent the night at my place last night. After you left us, we resumed reading a book for Meemaw. It was so intimate, and she was so attractive there, that after she finished her chapter, I started kissing her. I mean I just could not resist. And then next thing I know my hand ended up on her breast, and she pulled away, yelling at me." He looked down "Her eyes at that moment, it was like she was really angry at me, I have rarely seen her like that. But you know, I was not myself at that moment, my body, you know, was reacting to her touch…"

"Were you aroused, Sheldon?" I asked gently.

"Yes, and I could not really think clearly." He said, blushing.

"Then what did you do?"

"I sat on the other end of the couch, waiting for the effect to go away and hoping she would not see. But she did. I felt so miserable."

"Then what? Did you guys talk about it?" I felt uncomfortable because I already knew what happened through Amy, but I had to pretend not to know anything.

"She said that she regretted her reaction, that she got scared by how intense it got. She said it again this morning. She said she wanted to slow down things a little."He paused and raising his head up again "Penny, do you think Amy changed her mind and does not want a physical relationship with me anymore? Do you think she is going to leave me?"I could see he was very worried "Penny, I really love her. I need her in my life. I don't want to lose her." He almost said the last part whispering. I was stunned at how honest he was with me. I had never thought I'd hear Sheldon Cooper talk like that in front of me.

"Sheldon, honey, that girl is crazy about you. But you have to try to understand her. For years, you told her you didn't want physical interaction, and then you decide you want it, and within a month, you try to reach second base." I went on "Sweetie, Amy is like you, she has no experience: she never had a boyfriend, and she is probably as lost as you are as of what comes next."

"But what should I do now?"

"Sheldon, how do you feel right now in this relationship? These recent changes, what do you think about it? Are you comfortable with it?"

He looked at me in the eyes "The more I become intimate with her, the more I like it. These moments when we prepare breakfast together, or when we sit on the couch, cuddling, kissing,… Penny, I really enjoy it." His look was very intense "I really want to do things right. But I am afraid I may be wrong again and scare her again."

"Then maybe you should just talk about it together. Be gentle with her, and as patient as she has been with you all these years. Sheldon, second base is a difficult stage for girls. Talk to her about it, and together try to find the best way to keep moving on, if that is what the two of you want. "

"Thank you Penny. I have to go now, Raj will be there to play Halo in a minute." He rushed to the door. "Really, thank you for your help. I really want to make things work with Amy." And he left.

One hour later, at Amy's, I was having almost the same discussion.

"Penny, why did I react like that? I am so ashamed. Poor Sheldon!"

"Amy, don't be too hard with yourself. If you reacted like that, it probably means you were not ready. Honey, you two love each other, let things happen in time. He will be patient if you ask him to."

"Do you think he is mad at me? This morning, we talked and then it was almost as it was before. But I am scared he might think I forced him to consider a physical relationship and that now that he is ready, I am stepping back. I am so not stepping back, Penny. I want him. It's just… I don't know."

"Sweetie, are you satisfied with the relationship? I mean how do you deal with the recent changes?

"I love it as it is now. I love the trust, I love the intimacy, I love knowing he loves me and that I can count on him now. But I am scared about what will happen next."

"Sweetie, talk to him. You should decide together what comes next, and you should agree on the pace." I grabbed her hand "Sheldon loves you Amy. He really cares about you and wants the relationship to work and progress. He told me so one hour ago."

She was stunned "He talked to you about what happened yesterday?"

"Yes. He was worried, like you are now. He does not want to lose what you two have. Like you. He loves you Amy, you have to trust him, and talk to him whenever you have a doubt. And if you want it to work, you two guys have to trust each other."

"You are right. We have to talk about it, I need to talk to him about my doubts and fears…. Thanks Penny."

We spent the rest of the evening drinking wine and chatting about anything and everything. Amy relaxed a little. But of course she was still a bit worried about her future with Sheldon. As he was as well when he left my apartment earlier today. All I can do now is assure them of my support, but the way they make their relationship progress is up to them. But I am pretty confident; these two are clearly made for each other.


	26. The Girlfriend Intervention Initiation

**A/N: Thanks so much for the nice reviews. It really helps me going on. I hope you will like this chapter, as it has been quite difficult to write.**

I had been waiting outside the Cheesecake Factory for at least twenty minutes when she finally arrived.

"Amy! Here you are" I said as I walked towards her on the sidewalk "I was beginning to worry. You did not answer any of my calls or text messages today… I was not even sure you would come."

"I am sorry, Sheldon. I forgot my phone at home this morning, so I had no idea that you had tried to reach me today. And I have had such a hectic day! I just left work. I wasn't even sure I would be able to make it tonight, up to a few minutes before leaving. But I really wanted to see everyone." she leant to place a kiss on my cheek "Especially you, of course!"

I could not help smiling at her last sentence "Same here." I was really glad to see her, I had really been wondering all day whether she was deliberately avoiding me after what happened last Sunday. The way she was smiling at me right now proved me wrong "Well, let's go now, the others are already inside, ready to order." I grabbed her hand and led her inside the restaurant.

She stopped by the entrance and turned towards me "Sheldon, I would like to talk to you after dinner. Maybe I can drive you home afterwards, so we can talk there while drinking some chamomile tea?"

"Of course, Amy. What is it about?" I tried to ask the question casually but I was scared to hear her answer.

"I prefer talking about it then. If you don't mind? she replied simply. "It is a bit too complicated to talk about it now."

"Oh, sure. Let's go now, I am starving." I said walking inside the restaurant with her hand in mine.

I could not help wondering what she wanted to talk about. Was it about what happened last Sunday? Or maybe she had to cancel her coming to Houston because of work? I was beginning to worry about it. As we got closer to the round table where everyone was sitting, I let go her hand so no one would notice anything. Bernadette stood up to greet Amy, and Penny joined them not long after. I sat down next to Howard and waved Amy to sit down on the empty spot next to me. Next to her was Lucy that Raj had decided to invite for the first time with us all. The poor Lucy looked lost among all these people she did not know but she smiled when she caught sight of Amy; they had already met once at Koothrappali's and Amy's presence seemed to make Lucy feel more comfortable. Amy, Lucy and Raj spent lots of time talking together, while Bernadette, Howard and I were organizing our trip to San Diego in a couple of weeks for Comic Con. Indeed, Bernadette felt like coming with us this year, and Howard was excited like a child about it. Bernadette had already tried to talk about it to the other girls but so far none of them was really enthusiastic about going as well. I will talk to Amy about it, even though I am pretty sure she would not appreciate the whole atmosphere of Comic Con. We really had a pleasant evening and it was probably the first time that we had so much fun together ever since Leonard left. I guess we were slowly getting used to his absence; we had updates about him and how he enjoyed his work, so it definitely made it easier to accept not seeing him for another couple of months. But I still missed having my buddy around.

After dinner, as scheduled, Amy drove me home. On our way, she told me how much she had appreciated Lucy tonight, even more than the first time, and that she hoped things would work with Rajesh. She had also noticed that Raj was acting differently with Lucy, putting less pressure on her, and she definitely seemed more relax. And she did not even try to run away or hide in the toilets, which was a very good sign according to Amy. When we arrived at the apartment, I walked immediately towards the kitchen in order to prepare our chamomile tea. Amy followed me and sat down at the counter. I put our two mugs and the tea bags on the table while the water was boiling. Then I sat down opposite Amy. I took a deep breath and decided to finally ask her what had been bothering me all evening.

"So Amy tell me, what did you want to talk about?"

"Alright, here it is; it is about our week end in Texas."

I stared at her, frowning "Oh no Amy, please don't tell me you cannot come…."

"What? No, no, of course not. I would not miss it for the World, you know that." She replied straight away, staring at me.

"Good." I said, relieved.

She went on "Sheldon, I received a phone call from Missy yesterday evening. She invites us to stay at hers on Friday night instead of your mother's. She says that she lives closer to the airport and that it would be easier for us."

"My sister called you?" I was a bit puzzled. I knew that Missy and Amy had liked each other from the moment they had met, but I was not aware that they had kept in touch. Obviously, they were getting along far better than what I was aware of. I liked the idea. I thought about it for a moment while pouring hot water in our mugs and then said "She is right, that would be most convenient for us. Especially for you, you wouldn't have to drive long tonight."

"Yes indeed. And I think she would really like to welcome us at hers." She paused to pour some sugar in my tea. "We would still rent a car to get to hers, and she would come with us to your mother's in the morning. Steve would come and pick her up later. " She was playing with her spoon, making it spin in her mug "There is a problem though with this arrangement Sheldon."

"Which is… ? " I asked, willing to know what she meant.

"At your sister's we would have to share a room." She looked up at me, straight in the eyes "Missy even teased me, saying that at least we would not have to pretend not sleeping together like when we stay at your mother's. I was caught off-guard, Sheldon, and I was rather embarrassed, so I did not say anything. Moreover, I did not know what you told your family about us, if you see what I mean."

I understood better what was going on "Amy, I did not say anything about us to my family because I think that what goes on between us should stay between us. But I think they all believe that we are intimate. Even my mother, even if to keep up appearances, she makes us sleep in two separate bedrooms." I admitted.

"Okay… and don't you mind?"

"No, as I told you, they can think whatever they want. The only person whose opinion matters for me is you." I said, blushing a little "So if you want me to tell the truth, I'm fine with that, but the current situation does not bother me."

"Alright, let's keep it for ourselves; as you said it is nobody's business but ours." She drank a sip of tea "and what about sharing a room at Missy's ?"

"I don't mind if you don't mind" I smiled "we already slept in the same bed once and I found it quite enjoyable. Didn't you? "

She smiled back "I did too. So that is settled, I will call Missy tomorrow to confirm our stay. I am glad to go there; I really like your sister."

"I have the feeling she likes you too. She does not even seem to bother going through me for her invitations anymore…" I said, frowning. "Amy, I am just kidding, I am very happy that my family likes you."

"So am I Sheldon." We looked at each other for a few seconds then, as she had finished her tea, Amy announced "Okay, I have to go now, it is late." She got up "Sheldon, I will be very busy in the coming days, but I will call or text you on Friday to talk about our trip. Good night Sheldon! " She leant towards me and kissed me on the cheek.

« Good night Amy. Drive safely and all the best for work this week. I am really looking forward to this weekend with you."

As expected, I did not hear anything from Amy for the next two days. But she sent me a text on Friday morning to confirm that she would come and pick me up this afternoon after work so we could go to the airport together. Then at around 4pm, I received the following message.

**Sheldon, I am on my way now, I should be there in fifteen minutes. ****I'll meet you outside the university. A**

As soon as I got her message, I finished what I was doing and went downstairs to wait for her. Here we were, finally on our way to Texas for the weekend. As soon as Amy arrived, we hit the road. Up to the last minute, I feared that Amy would cancel her coming due to her project, but in the end luckily it did not happen. It would have been all the more difficult to live because she won't be around next week; she will be flying directly from Texas to the East where has to go and interview some of the people that made her shortlist. With her colleagues, Kate and especially Brian. For a few weeks, I have been hearing Amy talk about that Brian and I am really beginning to feel frustrated about the time she spends with him and not with me. Brian is single and can work overtime, same as Amy, unlike Kate who is married and the mother of three. Which means Amy and Brian have spent a few evenings together this week, just the two of them. I know that Amy is a hard-working scientist, passionate about her work, like me and I am fully aware that this project is very important for her. But I cannot help thinking that for some time, my girlfriend has been spending lots of time with that Brian that I have never even met. And now she is going to spend one week in Boston, Washington and New York in the same hotels as him; but I prefer not thinking about it now and focus on the weekend, or I would go mad.

I am really looking forward to seeing Meemaw. The last time I saw her, she had been making progress and we could talk together, but she did not look well and refused to see people other than our family. I know she keeps seeing her therapists and that the progresses are steady. But Mom has been quite discrete about Meemaw's state of mind since then. Each time I ask her something, she eludes it. What is really going on? I hope that my Meemaw does not sink into depression as Amy thinks she might. I hope that if it is the case, Amy and I can do something about it this weekend. Amy called a psycho analogist and made an appointment for Meemaw next week; I hope it can help her. Having Amy with me this weekend makes me stronger to face the situation; I'd do anything for Meemaw to feel better and I know Amy will support me and help Meemaw as much as she can. I would also like them to be able to talk together normally, because they are, with Mom, the two most important women in my life and their getting along would be important for me; I so want Meemaw to give me her opinion on the woman I love.

Amy really looked exhausted tonight and we were barely settling down on the plane that I opened my arms so she could cuddle up to me. She fell asleep within a few minutes, and so did I not long after her. We only woke up while the plane was our luggage and the rental car collected, we headed towards Missy's. It was already past midnight. Missy welcomed us with hot drinks, and the three of us sat together in the living room, and started talking about anything and everything. It was nice to see some bond being formed between Missy and Amy. But after one hour, it was obvious that Amy was struggling with staying awake, so we all decided to go to bed. Missy showed us to our room and told us breakfast would be ready at 9am. Our en-suite room was very nice. I let Amy go to the bathroom first, and then it was my turn. When I got back in the room, Amy was already under the covers, lying on her back, eyes closed. I slid gently under the covers from the left side of the bed. Then I turned towards Amy.

"Good night Amy!" I said.

She replied « Good night Sheldon. » Then she turned towards me with her eyes open and placed her hand on mine softly. "Sweet dreams." She whispered. And we closed our eyes and fell asleep very soon.

Around 6am, as I opened my eyes, I was stunned when I realized that we were no longer in the same positions. Amy was now turned towards the other side of the bed, with her back to me, and I was now closer to her, our legs almost touching under the covers with my right arm under her neck and my left hand on her waist. I stayed like that for a few minutes when I heard a familiar voice whispering "Good Morning Sheldon!"

"Oh Amy, good morning! I had not realized you were awake. Do you want me to move? I swear, we were already lying like that when I woke up."

She replied softly "I know, but please don't move Sheldon, I feel comfortable lying like this in your arms."

I was glad she said so because I did not want to move either. "Alright, I too feel comfortable like this." And I got a little closer, now right up against her, with my face in her neck "Very comfortable" I whispered.

Suddenly, I felt her hand grab mine gently and move it from the waist up her body, first on her side and then on her breast, under the covers but on top of her pajamas. She left her hand on mine stroking it a little.

"Amy, what are you doing?"

"Nothing Sheldon. I just want to get used to your touch on me. I don't want to react like I did last Sunday anymore. I feel so good in your arms this morning… Can we just stay like this a little, spooning?"

"Of course" I replied, and I placed my hand comfortably cupping her breast. I could feel her heart beating in my palm. I was very glad that she did not push me away this time. And we both fell asleep again, feeling so good.

Around 8.30am, Amy pulled away from our embrace and went to the bathroom. I stretched up my arms and began thinking about the touch of her skin on mine. I could not understand how I could enjoy so much touching her or her touching me, while for my whole life it had always been difficult touching or being touched by everybody else. What the hell made her do special?

While I was still lost in my thoughts, she went out of the bathroom, all cleaned and dressed, with her hair done.

"Sheldon, I am going downstairs with Missy to help her with the breakfast. See you there." She paused and stared at me "And thanks again for the most pleasurable wake up ever!" She grinned, and I grinned back.

As I was going down the stairs for breakfast, I could hear the two women talking and laughing, surrounded by these delicious smells of bacon and coffee. As I got inside the kitchen, they were both sitting at the table, having coffee.

"Good morning Missy" I said, leaning to kiss my twin sister on the cheek. "Amy" and I kissed her on the cheek as well.

"Good morning Shelly. Did you sleep well?" she asked me while standing up to put the water to boil.

"Like a baby" I replied, sitting down next to Amy.

"You've just missed Steve; he left for work a few minutes ago. But you will see him tonight. We have all been invited at George's in Galveston." Missy said as she came closer to the table with the fried eggs and the bacon.

"Thanks Missy." I tasted the eggs she had just served me "Missy that is absolutely delicious!"

"Thanks Shelly, glad you like it."

"Missy, at what time should we be at Mom's?"

"She is expecting us at 10am." Suddenly her tone of voice became more serious "But before leaving, Shelly, I would like to talk to you about something."

"Is it about Meemaw? She is not doing good, right?"

"Yes, it is about her. Sheldon, she is more and more withdrawing into herself. She does not care about anything, she has not even tried to cook or knit once since she came back home. And she refuses to see anyone outside the family, her neighbor and the doctors. She wouldn't go out, even in the wheel chair that Mom rent for her. And she does not eat much. She really looks sad Shelly, and we don't know what to do." Missy's tone of voice betrayed her anxiety.

"Gosh, I figured things were not going well, but I did not think it was that bad."

"Well, it is that bad. Though her speech is still as good as the last time you came, and the physio says she can move better; but she refuses to make any effort when we are there. And she will not take the medication prescribed by her doctor, or see the psycho analogist." Missy paused "Someone has to talk to her Shelly; we talked with Mom and George, and we think that someone should be Amy."

"Me? But she hardly knows me." Amy asked, surprised.

"Yes, it has to be you, Amy. She will not listen to any of us, not even Sheldon." Missy drank some of her tea before going on "Could you please try to talk to her Amy? Not only she respects you as a brain expert, but I know that she appreciated you when she met you.

Amy turned towards me, inquiringly. I was thinking about Missy's words; she was right. Meemaw would probably listen to none of us; she has always been very stubborn and always manages to get her way with us. She would only listen to someone outside of the family circle. And twice before Amy had managed to help her reach a new stage in her healing process; first, she was the one who had managed to explain to her her situation, and then she had been there to help her say her first words. Meemaw would listen to Amy, I was positive about it.

I finally said "Amy, I think Missy is right, Meemaw will listen to you. Could you try talking to her, please?" I was staring at her, almost begging.

"I can try Sheldon, but don't expect too much out of it. After all, like I said, Meemaw and I barely know each other. She can very well be dead set against me trying to tell her anything. And post traumatic depression is something very serious, I am not an expert." She paused "But I promise you both that I will try my best."

"Thanks Amy. At least we will have tried." Missy added. "If it doesn't work, we will have to talk about other solutions, like a retirement home with medical assistance. Mom is exhausted; she cannot go on like this. The situation is difficult for her to deal with, on several levels, and she cannot handle everything.

"Let's see what happens after Amy talks to Meemaw, Missy. Then we will think about other solutions." I really could not imagine my Meemaw going to a retirement home.

We finished our breakfast and left for Alvin where my mother was waiting for us. I really hoped that Amy would be able to convince Meemaw to pull herself together. It would be so painful for me to see my beloved Meemaw let herself sink into depression without letting us help her. She has to realize that we all love her and that we need her. Especially her Moonpie.


	27. The Depression Annihilation Process

When we arrived at Sheldon's mother, she had just come back from Meemaw's where the two of them had had their breakfast; she was now resting on a chair in the living room. Mary looked exhausted; nevertheless she greeted us with a smile and told us she was happy to see us. We all sat down to talk with her about the situation. Once again, Meemaw had barely eaten this morning, just some toast and a cup of coffee. Mary told us that she was beginning to feel helpless. She asked me if I would accept talking to her mother and I told her I'd try my best. I asked her to give me the medicine prescribed by Dr Roberts, which she did. It was decided that Sheldon and I would go and say good morning to Meemaw and that after a few minutes, Sheldon would leave to go buy food with his mother and his sister so we could have lunch together at Meemaw' our way to Meemaw's, Sheldon confided his worries to me. He told me how much his grandmother had always had a strong personality and that she had always been so full of life. He thanked me once more for my involvement and told me it meant a lot to him. Meemaw seemed happy to see us. We chatted a little together, Sheldon managing to hide his worries in front of as expected, he slipped away and I sat down on a chair in Meemaw's living room, next to her.

I decided to enter into discussion slowly, in order not to scare her "Meemaw, I think your house is very nice and cozy. And all these pictures. Are these only pictures of your grandchildren? Can I have a look?" I asked getting up and walking towards the sideboard on which were displayed at least thirty pictures of children.

"Sure" she answered.

My eyes stopped on a picture of a little boy dressed in an undefined costume, probably for Halloween or some party " Is this Sheldon ? What is he dressed as? A robot? " I took the frame in my hands and showed it to Meemaw.

"Hawking"

I was surprised "Really? How old can he be on this picture ? Five or Six?"

"Halloween 6."

"Wow ! I can't believe he was already a fan of Hawking at that age! He was so young! » I said, putting the frame back in place.

"Sheldon always ahead"

"Yes I know. He is so cute in this picture! And this one? The twins! " I took the frame in my hands and showed her. In it were two babies wrapped in white blankets, the two of them being held in the arms of a young woman who I supposed was Mary Cooper thirty years younger.

"Melissa Sheldon christening"

"The two of them are so cute! And here, is it George or Sheldon?" The little boy on the picture was proudly holding his baseball bat. It could definitely not be Sheldon, despite the impressive resemblance. "No wait, I guess Sheldon never even played baseball… so it has to be George."

"Sheldon bowling " and still sitting in her chair, she pointed a picture a little further at the top of the sideboard.

"Wow ! He looks so serious! Oh and what about that one? Sheldon and Missy going a ball?"

"Square dance teens for Jesus 14"

I remembered that Sheldon had already talked to me about that ball. It reminded me how well he danced. I'd like to go and dance with him again someday. Then my eyes got attracted to another picture with a young boy apparently very proud of the award that had just received, posing with an elderly woman obviously very proud of him.

"Oh, Sheldon with his Stevenson award! With you! You look so proud of him!" I found that picture very touching.

"I always proud Moonpie. "

"All these pictures of them, that is so touching. You obviously love them all so much."

"Yes"

I kept on browsing the pictures, my back turned to Meemaw. "Meemaw, the three of them, and your daughter, do love you very much too. Sheldon talks about you all the time. You mean the World to him." I felt it was the right moment to start talking about the real topic "Meemaw, Sheldon is very worried about you. And so are Missy, and George, and Mary. What is going on?"

"Nothing." she answered with a trembling voice.

I turned to face her now "Mary says that you don't want to take your medicine and that you don't want to go to the psycho analogist. Why? Please talk to me Meemaw. I am aware that we don't know each other very well but I too am worried. You know you can talk to me, don't you."

"I not worth. Tired. Old. Not same after stroke. Burden." She held her head in her hands but I could tell that she was on the verge of crying.

I sat down on the edge of the chair next to her and told her gently "Meemaw, you are not a burden for them, they love you. They would do anything for you. What you feel right now, it is because of a post traumatic depression. It happens very often after a stroke, especially when the damaged area is located in the left hemisphere. Forty percent of the people who suffered from a stroke suffer from it within two months; it is a illness, same as the stroke and the aphasia." She slowly raised her eyes towards me. I went on "It can be healed. And when it is, you can focus on recovering from the stroke. You are very strong, Meemaw, you will be able to fight."

"Scared. Never like before." She was almost curled up on that chair, her eyes back on her knees.

I got a bit closer to her and put my hands on hers "Meemaw, your physio says that you are making progress, and so does your speech therapist. I called them. The kind of aphasia you are suffering from is not a regressive one; you will make even more progress. But there will be ups and downs along the way, moments when you will improve a lot, and others when the progress it will go slow. You have to cling to your will to get better, and trust your therapists and doctors. And I can swear to you that you are in good hands. I made sure of that. " her hands started squeezing mine "And after everything Sheldon told me about you, I know you will get better." I paused and looked at her straight in the eyes "You remind me so much of my aunt Flora, my father's aunt. She too suffered from a stroke twenty years ago. I was young and in a boarding school when it happened so I don't remember exactly what happened immediately after the stroke. But when you see Aunt Flora now, you wouldn't believe that she had a stroke. It took her a few years, but she has fully recovered. She is 95 now, and very healthy. She plays bridge and is almost unbeatable, she paints very beautiful impressionist pictures, she embroiders, among many activities. She is so full of life." I could finally see some hope in Meemaw's eyes "Meemaw, you will definitely get better. You cannot see it clearly now because of the depression but you will realize it once you're healed from the depression. So you have to take your medicine. And you have to go to your appointment with Dr Stevens. She is one of the best experts in the USA.

"I try"

"Meemaw, your family, do it for them. And believe me, you will feel better. But you have to meet with people, and go back doing the things you like to do. Did you listen to the CDs that Sheldon and I recorded?

"Yes"

"Did you like it?"

"Yes thanks"

"Sheldon and I recorded one more for you. And we will keep on recording books, until you can read it yourself, and that will happen. But you really have to go back to your old activities. Knitting for instance. Sheldon told me that you are the best. I'd love it if you could knit a little something for me. No one has ever done it for me. And cooking. I'd like to be able to taste some of your specialties Sheldon talks about all the time. He cooked one of your recipes for me once and it was delicious but I'd like to taste the original ones! " She was listening to me silently, obviously touched by my words. I kept on slowly, lowering my eyes. "I understand you more than you believe Meemaw. Sometimes, it is like nothing goes well and you feel you are worth nothing. I will tell you something I never told anyone, not even to Sheldon. Before meeting him, my life was empty; I thought I was worth nothing and that nobody would ever be interested in me and my life. I had given up all hope of a social or love life. I had actually developed a chronic depressive state. I was living my life without really living it. I had always been so lonely, never had any friends, not getting along with my family. And then one day I met Sheldon. And from that moment on, my life made more sense; he was a lot like me, and we got along very well immediately. Then through him I met his friends and it helped me get better. Now, three years later, I love my live, my work, my friends and I feel very comfortable in my relationship with your grandson. I have never felt better; I would have never though it was possible. So you always have to trust life and the people who love you and believe in you. Life is made of ups and downs Meemaw, you know that of course, and there is always a better tomorrow. Your grandchildren and daughter love you so much, and they know you will be able to be the one you used to be, happy and blooming. So please, take your pills and go and see Dr Stevens on Tuesday. Her specialty is post trauma psychology, so she will be able to explain to you everything you want to know, and tell you why you are feeling that way. She is the right person to help you go back on tracks" I turned towards the coffee table and poured some water in her glass, which I handed to her as well as the pills that Mary gave me. She grabbed it, looked at it for a moment, then swallowed it. She placed the glass back on the table and looked at me, smiling gently.

"Thanks Amy. Wonderful girl. Glad for Moonpie" and she placed her hand on my cheek and left it for a few seconds. Then she said in a happier tone of voice « Other pictures drawer » and she showed me the drawer of the sideboard. I got up and and I took out three big photo albums. We watched it together, Meemaw explaining all events and circumstances to me. The atmosphere had become lighter and we were having a good time together when my cell phone started vibrating. It was a message from Sheldon.

**« Amy, can I come back? Are you finished talking? How is Meemaw? S »**

I looked at the clock; Meemaw and I had been together alone for a little over an hour. I texted back **"We are done, things are okay. See you in a bit. A"** Then I went on watching the pictures of my boyfriend as a little boy with his grandmother. One of the pictures really moved me: A four years old Sheldon was on his grandfather's knees, playing with Petri dishes placed in front of him on a table.

At that moment, Sheldon got inside the room, carrying lots of bags. He placed it all on the table and came towards us. He looked at Meemaw and then at me inquiringly. Nodding, I made him understand that she was doing better. He smiled at me, relief washing over his face. He sat down on the arm of my chair and looked at the pictures with us for a moment, obviously touched by some of them. After a few minutes, he got up.

"Ladies, I bought good things. I will be cooking for lunch. Missy and Mum had to run an errand; they will come back later, when lunch is ready. I think I will cook cajun chicken à la Meemaw."

"That's a great idea Sheldon! Do you need help?"

"I could do with some help, indeed." He said smiling.

"Me too Moonpie !"

He looked at her grinning "Of course Meemaw, I need your help for the sauce. Mine is never as good as yours."

Sheldon gave me his hand to help me get up, and together we helped Meemaw walk to the kitchen where we began cooking together; Meemaw was sitting at the table preparing the sauce, and Sheldon and I were up in front of the stove. From time to time, I caught glimpses of Sheldon staring at his Meemaw with a smile and so much love in his eyes. I too was glad that she had volunteered to help us, it meant she was really trying to get better. At some point, he noticed that I was looking at him and he placed his hands on my waist, leant towards me, kissed me on the cheek and whispered in my ear "Thanks so much!" When lunch was ready, I sent a text message to Missy to let them know they could come anytime. Then we had lunch together, in a nice family atmosphere.

After lunch, Meemaw looked exhausted and Sheldon helped her to her bedroom. We had all been invited to George's for dinner, Meemaw included, and she had to rest this afternoon. As Missy,Sheldon, Mary and I were on our way to Mary's, I received a call from Brian. One of our candidates from New York had let us down and we had to find a substitute as soon as possible. I hung up and apologized to the three of them, telling them I would have to go to my room as soon as we got home to skype with Brian. It would probably delay our activities of the afternoon. Mary and Missy said they understood. But I could see that Sheldon was not happy about it. After one hour, I came back to the living room where the three of them were having tea.

"I'm sorry, it was work, I really had to sort that problem out immediately. That's settled now; I am all yours, what's on the plan?"

Sheldon smiled and said "I thought that maybe we could go to Kennedy Space Center. I haven't been there in years and you will love it Amy, there is …"

Missy interrupted him « Oh no Shelly, it's Saturday afternoon, I am sure Amy would prefer going shopping in La Galleria." And she winked at me.

"Yes Baby, it's weekend, Amy needs to go out and relax. You can go to one of your science place any other time. The three of you just go shopping!" Mary Cooper said firmly.

I spoke "I am tempted by the NASA facility Sheldon, but to tell the truth, I'd like to go shopping right now. Rain check on Kennedy Center?"

"Sure." Sheldon mumbled, clearly unhappy with my decision.

Mary added "I will stay here and relax a little. Don't forget to come and pick us up around 6pm so we go to George together. You kids have fun."

Sheldon was clearly not impressed with my decision. But I really felt like relaxing after all the tension this morning. Talking to Meemaw had brought back to my memory things that I had been trying to keep deep inside for quite some time now. I needed to do something fun and relax this shopping with Missy was perfect. That's what I would have done with Penny had I been in grumbled a little, then said that he agreed to come with us. Missy sat next to me at the front of the car and Sheldon sat at the back, on his own. Missy said that she would like to go and have a look at clothes for me, that I could wear tonight at George's. Something comfortable and pretty. She assured me that she knew exactly the kind of clothes that would be perfect on me. Sheldon remained silent for the whole trip. From time to time I checked in the mirror and he was frowning.

Missy took us to shops she liked where she showed me a few things. I chose a light green short sleeves blouse, with a flowered pattern t shirt, and a jeans skirt less loose than what I usually wear. Missy kept on repeating she thought I looked great in it. Sheldon muttered that it was okay and kept complaining that we were spending far too much time to make up our mind. Missy bought a skirt suit and two blouses. At some point, Sheldon, forced by Missy, became our official packages carrier. I tried to smile at him or ask him how he was doing, but he kept his face closed, clearly unhappy to be there. At the tenth shop we visited, I found another outfit; another skirt with two blouses. Then it was time to go home and collect Mary and Meemaw. Sheldon put Meemaw's wheelchair in the trunk and we all left to George's.

George had planned a barbecue party for just the seven if us. Galveston is a city on the ocean, and in the evening the temperatures were very nice. Steve arrived at 7pm. Sheldon seemed a little more relax and decided to help his brother and Steve with the barbecue, but he definitely tried to avoid looking at me. I did not really understand what was going on; after all, we were having some nice time with his family. But seeing him like that was spoiling my evening a bit. For dinner, Sheldon sat next to his Meemaw who was on a chair at the end of the table, and next to Steve. I was sitting at the other end of the table, between Mary and Missy. I could feel Sheldon's stare on me at times, but as soon as I tried to catch a glimpse at him, his eyes evaded mine.

"So Amy, at what time are you and Shelly flying home tomorrow?" Missy asked.

"My plane leaves at 5.20pm and Sheldon's leaves at 6pm. So I think we will leave Alvin at 4-4.30pm."

"I don't understand, don't you leave at the same time?" she went on, confused.

"Oh no, I will be flying to Boston tomorrow. I have to work in the East for a week, in Boston, Washington and then New York for my new project. Sheldon goes home to Los Angeles."

Missy and Mary asked me more details about the project; they seemed genuinely interested. When I explained to Mary that one of the objectives of the study was a better detection and orientation of the exceptionally-gifted chidren, she agreed that it would have definitely helped her thirty years ago. I roughly explained my role in the project and my two colleagues'. When Missy asked me if I would be by myself in the East, I replied that Brian would be there as well both in Boston and Washington, and then Kate would meet us in New that moment, Sheldon got up in silence and walked towards the house. He did not even have a look at me, but I felt he was mad at me. After a few minutes, I got up as well and walked inside the house to sort it out. Sheldon was sitting on the couch, with his head in his hands, breathing hard. I sat down next to him.

"Sheldon, What is going on? You don't look well."

"I am fine thank you" he said curtly.

"Sheldon, I know when there is something wrong. And now, I have the feeling that you are mad at me. What did I do? Can we talk about it?"

« I said I am fine, Amy. » He said a little louder and even more coldly.

At that moment, I tried to place my hand on his, but he rejected it violently. "Sheldon !" I looked at him inquiringly for a few seconds, still not understanding, then went on "I know there is a problem. Talk to me please, we promised each other we'd talk about everything."

He raised his eyes up towards me, and I could see he was almost crying "Alright, let's talk. I will tell you what is going on. I was really looking for this weekend. All this week, I had hoped the two of us would spend some time together. I barely saw you last week because of your work, and next week, you'll be away. And today, we barely saw each other. And I learn tonight that tomorrow you will fly for the East where you will spend three days alone with Brian."

I stared at him for a moment, trying to remain calm "I know that I have been very busy last week and next week is a very important week for me and my career, Sheldon, I thought you of all people could understand that."

« I do understand. You love your work and this project is important for your career. But lately we haven't seen each other much. I miss you Amy. I miss spending time with you, just the two of us. And then you will spend three days in a hotel with that guy. I'm sorry, I can't take it."

I was stunned by his words. Sheldon Cooper blaming me for not spending enough time alone with him. I almost smiled at the irony. For years, I had agreed to only see him when he felt like it, which meant not very often and now that he wanted more, I had to adapt my schedule to his.

I took a few seconds to consider my answer "I think you are being unfair Sheldon. And selfish. For weeks, you spent all your time at work working on the grant proposal with Kripke, and we only saw each other when you were free, a couple of times a week. And now, it is the exact opposite situation, and you blame me for spending too much time working. I too was looking forward to this weekend; I feel good with your family and I like spending time with them, and I thought you liked that too." I paused "I have a career, I have a social life, I cannot be available for you whenever you want it. I cannot organize my life around about Brian : he is just a male colleague; I happen to spend lots of time with him because we work on the same project. End of story. Like you and Kripke. I see no difference. There is nothing romantic going on between me and him. You have no reason to be jealous. So maybe you should just start trusting me. Like you asked me to trust you not long ago." I managed to keep a steady voice during my whole speech. Sheldon was staring at me. I could not read what was going on in his head but he was listening carefully. "Now, I am hurt that you would take things this way. But I cannot let you spoil this weekend. I will go back spending a nice evening with your family. You can come and join us outside and try to enjoy it, or you can stay here and keep on sulking. It's up to you. » I got up and went away.

"Amy…" I heard him say my name but I did not look back. I could not understand him. I had come this weekend, with him and for him, to spend time with his family, I had even spent lots of energy this morning with his grandmother in order to help the family, and now he was blaming me for not spending enough time with him. He was the one spoiling some nice family time right now. I was really pissed off. I went back to the table and pretended nothing had happened, talking to Missy, to Mary… to everyone. Sheldon came back as well a few minutes later and stayed quiet for the rest of the evening, except occasionally talking to his Meemaw. I am pretty sure that everyone noticed the awkwardness between us, but no one said anything.

At the end of the evening, I said goodbye to George and thanked him for the evening. I also said goodbye to Missy and Steve, that I would not see before leaving tomorrow. And then the four of us, Meemaw, Mary, Sheldon and I left for Mary's. In the car, Sheldon sat at the back, next to his Meemaw, and talked to her during the whole drive back home, while Mary and I talked about Missy and how glad Mary was that she was with Steve. Once in Alvin, I first parked in front of Meemaw's house for Sheldon to get the wheelchair and help her in. He told us not to wait for him, that he would walk back home, that he needed some fresh air. And that was it, he would not even say goodnight to me. Mary and I went back home together. I wished her goodnight and went directly to bed; she said she'd stay downstairs for a bit, that she had something important to do. I went upstairs and rushed to my bedroom, deeply hurt by Sheldon's behavior. I lied down and began to cry.

**A/N: Thanks again for the very nice reviews. I am so glad you guys are enjoying reading this story. I don't know when I can update next, hopefully before Monday. I hope you like this chapter as well, I have to admit I really enjoyed writing it.**


	28. The Reconciliation Process Corollary

It was rather chilly tonight but I really needed to go for a walk; I had to calmed down and take time to process the events of the day. So I told Amy and Mum that I'd walk back home from Meemaw's. The day had started extremely well. It had been very sweet waking up holding her in my arms. Then she and I had shared a moment of pure bliss; holding her and feeling her heart beat inside my palm. I could have stayed like that forever. Unfortunately, the rest of the day had been more difficult to deal with. First, there's been the anguish that my beloved grandmother would sink more and more into depression. I have spent more than one hour walking around at Coles, hoping that Amy would succeed in helping Meemaw. Then I got back home and it was a great relief to see that Amy had managed to convince Meemaw to pull herself together and take her medicine. Once again, Amy had been truly amazing with my grandmother. After such a hectic morning, I had hoped that the two of us could spend some time together; but first Brian had called her and kept her on skype for over one hour, and then she had preferred going shopping with my sister to going to the Kennedy Center with me. It had been hell following them from shop to shop for almost four hours! I was pissed off at Missy for not understanding I wanted to be alone with Amy. And I was also a bit pissed off at Amy for choosing my sister over me. Then again at my brother's, she had spent the evening talking to the entire family, but me. My frustration intensified by the minute up to the moment when she revealed that she'd spend half next week alone with that guy on the east coast. I could not take it anymore, and had to leave. Then when finally she came and talked to me, we had an argument, and she left me to go back and have fun with my family. I cannot believe that she could just go back to that table and pretend things were fine. It made me even madder.

Now here I was, walking down the streets of my hometown by myself, with so many thoughts tumbling out of my head. Why am I even feeling that way? Before Amy, I had never felt that way. A few minutes ago, as I left her home, Meemaw told me that she loved Amy, that she thought she was a wonderful girl, and that I was lucky having her in my life. I know all that. I just hope I did not spoil it all tonight. I cannot help thinking that Amy is going to leave me. Why is she even with me in the first place? I cannot give her what she wants. I am trying hard, but it can't be enough for her. And now we will be away from each other for one whole week. How will we manage it? Especially if she leaves being mad at me. I have to talk to her before she catches that damn plane to Boston.

I was feeling much better now and ready to go back home. That little walk had indeed had a good effect on me. As I got inside the house, I was surprised to see some light in the living room. Mum and Amy had come back at least twenty minutes ago; I thought they would have gone to bed directly. I was not ready to talk to Amy right now, what was I to do? As I walked towards the living room, I called for them "Mum? Amy?"

"I'm here Shelly." Mum answered.

"Mum, are you by yourself? I thought you'd be in bed already."

"In a minute. But first, Sheldon Lee Cooper, you and I need to talk." Oh, oh! When my mother starts calling me with my full name, it means that she is going to lecture me about something.

"Mum, I am tired; I want to go to sleep."

"Not before we talk. Sit down next to me." I obeyed reluctantly "Sheldon, I am very disappointed at your behavior today. I thought I had raised you better than that."

I frowned « My behavior ? What do you mean? »

"Towards Amy. You behaved like a spoilt brat Sheldon. Amy deserves better than that."

"I don't understand what you mean" I mumbled, knowing at that moment that it was already too late to avoid my mother's preach.

"Stop taking me for an idiot, Shelly. I saw what happened tonight. I mean how you behaved with your girlfriend You are no longer eight years old Sheldon, you are a grown man, you can't behave like that anymore. I told you already the last time I went to Pasadena."

"Mum I don't want to talk about that with you. This is between Amy and me."

"You are right Sheldon, and you'd better go and apologize as soon as possible. You may be unaware of that, but the girl is crazy about you. And I know you feel exactly the same. You are made for each other, no need to be a genius to see that; I realized it the minute I first spoke to her. But if you keep behaving like a child and treating her like you have today, despite her patience, she won't hang in there. "

My mother's words resounded in me. "I don't want to lose her, Mum. But this weekend, I wanted to spend some time with her. We haven't seen each other much lately because of her work. But she preferred going shopping with Missy, or sitting far away from me at the dinner table… it's like she did not want to be with me as much as I wanted to be with her. »

"Sheldon, give her some space. We all like her very much; and today especially after what she did for Meemaw this morning, we wanted to get to know her better. And I think she wanted to get to know us too. I don't think she has a great relationship with her family, has she?"

"Amy's childhood was not a happy one and she does not get along with her mother." I replied.

"So she found a family that likes her here. Why don't you let her enjoy it. She won't like you less if she does not spend all of her spare time with you. Sheldon, when you love someone, you have to be happy when she is happy and let her blossom. You should be glad that she likes spending time with your family. And you should be glad that she has a job she loves. And stop being jealous about it."

"I am not jealous" I mumbled, wondering how my mother knew about that.

"You are. You blame her for the time she spends at work. Am I wrong? And I think you are jealous of that colleague of hers, Brian is it? I saw how you reacted when she talked about him. »

"I am not jealous. It is just that I don't like it when my girlfriend spends more time with another man than with me."

"Sheldon Darling, in an adult relationship, people trust each other. You have to trust Amy. She loves you, I see no reason why she would leave with the first person that comes along. »

"I am scared she might leave, Mum. She deserves better than me. I am scared that someday she would realize it and leave me. The closer we get and the more I know it would hurt. And this time, not even 500 cats would be enough to replace her."

"So be a man. Go and apologize to her. Now."

"Now? She is probably sleeping already."

"We got back about thirty minutes ago. I don't think she is sleeping yet. She was crying when she told me goodnight. So trust me, she is still awake. So now you go and see her, and you kids talk to each other." She got up "I am off to sleep now. Good night Shelly. » She kissed me on the cheek « Ah Shelly, tomorrow morning, I am leaving at around 8am and I will spend the morning at the church. I will be back around 11am. Will you be okay for breakfast?"

"Sure" I stood there, indecisive. Could I go and see her now? Would she even listen to me? Mum said she was crying… I decided to send her a text message to put out feelers. **« Amy, are you still awake? Can we talk? S »**

I received the answer almost instantly **« Come to my room».**

"Knock, Knock, Knock Amy! Knock, Knock, Knock Amy! Knock, Knock, Knock Amy!" I said knocking softly.

"Come in Sheldon."

I opened the door shyly. Amy was sitting in her bed in her pajamas, under the covers. Mum was right, she had cried.

"Amy, first, I'd like to apologize for my behavior today." I said softly, eyes set on my hands.

"Thank you Sheldon, I accept your apologies." She smiled "And I would like to apologize too for losing my temper."

"It's just that I wished we would have spent more time just the two of us this weekend. We shared that wonderful moment this morning and then… I was both disappointed and upset. Sorry."

"I know Sheldon, I too am sorry. I did not realize you had missed me and wanted to spend more time together. But we still have tomorrow, haven't we?"

"Yes, tomorrow morning, it will be just the two of us" I went on "Amy, also, about your work; I know how important it is for you, and I support you. I am sorry if you thought that I depreciated your work."

I sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Sheldon, I would also like to apologize about Brian; I should have told you for Boston and Washington. But I swear that Brian is just a colleague. I love you, I am not interested in anyone else."

I looked at her straight in the eyes "Are you sure?"

"Sure about what? That I love you? Yes! That nothing will ever happen between Brian and me? Yes!"

"No, are you sure that you will never be interested in anyone else? After all, I cannot give you the things a normal boyfriend would and…. » I lowered my head.

She interrupted me "Sheldon, I don't want a normal boyfriend. I want you. What we have is special. And you said it yourself once, even before getting closer physically, our relationship was very intimate."

"It is true." I leant towards her and grabbed her hand "But sometimes, I am afraid not to be good enough for you. And I am scared that someday, someone else sees what I saw in you and that you will leave me. I could not take it Amy."

"I am here Sheldon, I am not going to leave. Come lie next to me." she said, patting on the bed next to her. I removed my shoes and lied down next to her, turned towards her. I placed my head on the pillow and my arm around her waist. It was a single bed, so the two of us were very close to each other. She turned towards me and put her lips on mine. She was on top of me and was the one calling the tune. Her kiss became more intense when she slipped her tongue in my mouth, and slowly started twirling her tongue with mine. I was following her lead and that was fascinating. Suddenly, she pulled away and looked at me in the eyes. I was out of breath. She told me softly "Sheldon, would you take off your shirts, please? I'd like to cuddle up to you, touching your skin." Still mesmerized by the kiss, I nodded and took my shirts off. She placed her head on my now bare chest and her hands on my waist. Then she moved her hand up to my chest and stroked softly my chest hair, making circles. The sensation was strange at first, but then I got used to it and even liked it. We stayed like that for a few minutes. Then the touch of her hand on my skin started provoking uncontrolled sensations in my body so I pulled away.

"I will go back to my room now." I said, putting my shirts back on. She looked disappointed. "Amy, tomorrow my mother leaves at 8am. Can I come back then?" she was looking at me inquiringly "I would like to have as nice a time as this morning when we woke up spooning. Please say yes."

She smiled "Yes. See you tomorrow. Good night. So glad we could talk, I hate it when we fight."

"Me too." I leant down and kissed her gently on the mouth, then left the room.

I went back to my room, being very careful not to be heard, even though I was aware that my mother knew I went to see Amy. I could contain my emotions thanks to Kolinahr and fell asleep quickly that night. I woke up at breakdown the next morning. I was lying awake on my bed. I could still feel her hand on the skin of my chest. Her strokes were so soft. Finally, at 8am, I heard the front door slam. I got up and walked towards Amy's room. I knocked gently.

"Knock, Knock, Knock Sleepy Amy ! Knock, Knock, Knock Sleepy Amy ! Knock, Knock, Knock Sleepy Amy ! "

I heard her voice, half asleep "Come in Sheldon!"

I did so and stood by the doorframe for a few seconds "Good morning Sunshine!"

Amy, still asleep and lying on her bed, raised her head to me and replied "Good morning Sheldon. Do you want to come here next to me?" she grinned at me and turned on the other side.

I got under the covers behind her and I spooned against her. She moaned when I kissed her in the neck. Like yesterday, she grabbed my hand and put it on her breast. And we fell asleep again in that position.

One hour later, I opened my eyes again and whispered to her ear "Amy, are you awake?"

"Yes"

"Do you feel like getting up now?"

"Mmmm I could stay like this all morning long." she said, stroking my hand that was still on her breast.

"Me too. But I have planned a morning together. Breakfast in tête-à-tête, then we can go for a walk on the boardwalk in Galveston and buy food at the market. Then back home and we can cook lunch for Mum and Meemaw."

She turned to me and said "Alright, but before going…" and she repeatedly placed tender kisses up my neck and all over my cheek. The sensation was so amazing I could not help moaning "Do you like it ?" she asked.

"Mmm" I mumbled "But we have to get up. I am going to the bathroom first. But when I come back, you'd better be ready… " I grinned, getting up reluctantly.

When I came back, she was clean and dressed and ready to go for breakfast. We had a great morning together. Preparing breakfast together reminded us of these mornings together when Amy stayed at mine. The weather was very beautiful, so we drove to Galveston where we had a walk by the ocean, hand in hand. It was so relaxing. Then we went to the market where we bought some fresh fish and vegetable and then we headed back home to start cooking lunch. On our way back, we went to pick up Meemaw at hers and took her with us at Mum's. When I explained to Meemaw that I intended to cook Baked Fillets Mexicali with vegetable, she decided to cook it with us. She looked well rested and enthusiastic. The three of us worked together in the kitchen, Meemaw even showed us a few tips to make it better. And by the time Mum got back, our lunch was in the oven. After a delicious lunch, we sat down with Meemaw and played chess with her. Amy revealed to be quite good at chess. Funny that we had never played together before. The afternoon went by very fast. And before we knew it, it was time to head to the airport. Soon would come the time to say goodbye.


	29. The Delicate Situation Capacitance

I could not believe that the weekend was already coming to an end. Time had been flying so fast today. I was glad that Sheldon and I could figure out all of our problems; we have spent such a fun time together today. But now was the time to say goodbye to Sheldon's family. First,Meemaw took me aside to thank me for my help and let me know that she took our talk very seriously;she promised that she would keep taking her medication and go and see the psychologist. I told her that I was glad. I gave her my phone number so she could call me anytime if she needed to. Then she held me in her arms with such tenderness that it brought tears in my eyes.I feel a special connection with Sheldon's Meemaw. Maybe it is our respective love for Sheldon,or the fact that she reminds me of the only person in my family that really appreciates me, my aunt , I really like her and truly hope that she will feel better soon. While pulling away from our embrace, she whispered softly in my ear "Take care Moonpie. Please. You perfect together."I looked at her closely, nodded, grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "I promise Meemaw." She squeezed my hand and smiled the other side of the room, Sheldon was observing us with obvious emotion. Then he moved closer to us to say goodbye to his Meemaw. I made way for him and went towards Mary to say my goodbyes to her.

She took me in her arms "Amy, once again, thank you so much, for Mother and for my Shelly. You have such a good influence on him. And the proof that he really cares for you is how easily he accepted to apologize yesterday."

I was surprised by her remark. I frowned, inquiringly.

"I know about that Amy, I talked to him yesterday evening. But for once he obviously did not need me to make the right decision. He is becoming the man I have always wanted him to be. Thanks Amy."

"Thank you for everything Mary. You don't know how important it is for me to feel so welcome in Sheldon's family."

"You deserve it dear." There was no doubt about the fairness of her words "Have a safe trip to Boston, is it?" I nodded "And all the best for your project."

"Thank you Mary. And please keep me updated on Meemaw's situation. She has my phone number, but do not hesitate to call or text if you need my help."

I called Sheldon, telling him that unfortunately it as high time for us to leave for the airport. And then we set off.

Once the rental car returned, we went directly to our terminal and proceeded to check in. There was now one hour to go before my flight. Sheldon's flight was leaving less than thirty minutes after me. We decided to go for a drink at Pappadeaux's and then Sheldon walked me to my departure gate.

"So here we are. Thank you for the nice weekend Sheldon. Today especially was…great!" I smiled.

"It was." He smiled back, though obviously feeling a bit sad.

"Sheldon, we knew this moment would come." I grabbed his hand and looked at him in the eyes "Hey, it is just for a few days."

"I know. I know. "

"And don't worry about Brian. I told you that already. I am interested in no one else." I let go of his hand "So have you sent a text to Penny to ask her to pick you up at the airport?"

"I have. She cannot come. She works a late shift tonight. I will have to call for a taxi. But that is fine."

"Okay, I have to go now. Goodbye Sheldon. I am going to miss you." And I kissed him on the cheek.

Suddenly he came closer and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Come here." He said, seconds before pressing his lips against mine.I pulled away because it was the last call for my flight. "Goodbye Amy. I will miss you too." I walked away, looking at him one last time before heading towards the plane.

It felt very strange being on the plane without Sheldon next to me. It was going to be so much less comfortable not having his shoulder to rest my head. But I could not really complain after such a nice weekend with him. Of course, there's been the argument between us yesterday night, but it was not much really. And he is always kind of cute when he is jealous. It was just that I wanted him to understand that I liked his family and wanted to spend time with them as well. The fact that he was jealous about Brian surprised me a little I have to is a colleague, and that's it. Of course, I had noticed that he was good looking with his dark hair and his green eyes but I really was not interested in him that way. There is one sure thing though: from now on, I will be a little more careful about how much time I spend alone with him; I will keep Sheldon updated about everything and avoid ambiguous situations.I don't want to spoil what we have because of something that does not even this weekend, Sheldon and I made huge progress in our relationship. First, sharing a room and a bed together proved to be very enjoyable. And it gave us the opportunity to experiment a little more touching. I had been very frustrated last week when I freaked out at his touch on my breast; so I seized the first opportunity to make up for I don't regret that moment of bliss. The past two mornings together were very lovely. And it is quite impressive how Sheldon has become demonstrative. And I really like it. But to be honest, I think a week apart can do us good. I cannot help thinking things have gone quite fast, for me but especially for him. I like it that we have the opportunity to just detach ourselves from the situation and think about it all. But for some reason, I have the feeling it is going to be quite hard to live for Sheldon; I'm going to have to ask Penny to keep an eye on him.

In Boston, I was in for a surprise straight away at the airport as Brian was in the arrival area, waiting for me with his bags.

"Hello Amy!"

"Hey Brian! What are you doing here? I thought you had arrived in the early afternoon."

"I changed my flight. I thought that you might like being welcome by some handsome Irishman!" he said, grinning.

"That's a nice surprise Brian. It is always nice being welcome by a familiar face." I tried to sound as neutral as possible. That was odd, that was actually the first time that I really paid attention to Brian's teasing.

"Alright, let me help you with your bag."

"No thanks, I'm fine." I said, avoiding his hand. "Do you know where the taxi station is?"

"Yes, over there. Come."

It was already very late when we arrived at the hotel. The restaurant was closed but we could order from the room service. I reluctantly accepted to go and have dinner in Brian's showed me the file of our new candidate. He spoke to him all afternoon yesterday and gave me his notes about him. He happened to be an even better candidate than the one that let us down; 25 years old, chess master by the age of 15, and a mathematician at Columbia University, with an IQ of 178 established with the Stanford-Binet method. Our Chinese food had just been delivered when my phone started vibrated. It was a text from Sheldon.

**Home finally. I missed you on the plane. I hope you arrived there safely. Good night Amy. Love S.**

I smiled when I read it. I could not get used to the "Love" next to his name.

"Is it from your boyfriend?" Brian asked casually.

"Yes. He just got back home. Sorry, but I have to reply straight away."

"Sure. Lucky man." He said in a whisper. But I heard it and it baffled me. What did he mean by that exactly?

I replied to Sheldon **I got here on time. I am at the hotel now, having dinner and preparing my interviews. I missed you too. Sweet dreams Sheldon. Talk to you soon. Love A. **Then I went back to my dinner and my work.

"How long have you known each other with … Sheldon, is it?" Brian went on asking.

"Yes it is Sheldon. A little over three years now. "

"Are you guys living together?"

"No."

" What does he do for a living?"

"He is a senior theoretical particle scientist at Caltech. He works on the string theory."

"Wow. Very impressive."

"Yes." I tried to change the subject because I was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable "Have you heard from Kate this weekend? She said she would send us a couple more profiles and I received nothing from her."

"We can ask her tomorrow." He paused "Amy, do you mind my questions about your boyfriend?" he said, smiling.

"No. But there is not much to say about it." I decided to turn the conversation his way "What about you Brian. Do you have a … gi…partner?" I asked clumsily, as I realized I did not even know whether he preferred women or men.

"No. I had a girlfriend, but we split a little after I moved to Los Angeles. She could not move from Dublin, she is a teacher at Trinity College University and could not come with me there. And let's say long distance relationships are not easy to a couple of months, she dumped me. She had fallen in love with a colleague." He looked at me in the eyes "And since then, I have found no one else I am interested in. Up to now…"

Was he flirting? I was so not used to that, I just could not tell. So I preferred pretending I did not hear anything. "I'm sorry for you Brian." He was still staring at me. I was feeling quite uncomfortable so I got up and began gathering up all the empty boxes and throwing them away in a paper bag. "Okay, I think I will go back to my room now. Thank you for everything Brian. Shall we meet downstairs for breakfast in the morning? Is 7.30am okay?"

"Sure. That's fine. Goodnight Amy. "

"Goodnight Brian." And I left.

I was feeling kind of weird as I got back to my room. Was Sheldon right to worry? Was Brian really interested in me? Was he hitting on me? I could not believe it. No, definitely, I was misreading his words and attitudes. Anyways, I could not think about that now, I was both exhausted and excited by the week to come. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The week went as expected. In Boston, we met with six candidates, in Harvard. It was also a very nice opportunity to meet up again with the three women scientists that I had met in Phoenix, Christina, Jane and Louise; we had lunch together with Brian, who was delighted to be surrounded by so many brilliant women, as he said so himself. Then in the evening I went out with Christina, the genetics expert that was in my panel and Jane the experimental had been very impressed with meeting Sheldon and could not stop repeating how great a scientist he was. Needless to say that she was preaching to the choir. We had a very nice evening and I was glad that I had kept in touch with them. Actually, Christina had even helped me select two of our candidates within her lab. Though, I had to go back to the hotel quite early as our flight the next morning was atthe break of dawn, heading for Washington the George Washington University, we met with four more candidates, two lawyers and two MDs. We stayed in Washington even less than in Boston as we flew to New York in the evening.

Our hotel in New York was on Broadway, in the Upper West Side, close to Columbia University. There, we had to meet with 10 candidates, in a couple of the first evening, Brian and I went out to a nice restaurant around the corner from the hotel, to make an assessment on the profiles that we had already met with, before Kate's arrival the day after. We were both very enthusiastic about how it had gone so far; everyone had been cooperative and we were almost able to determine the profiles we would choose so far.

"Brian, I have to admit I was a little stressed before this week. But after these first two days, I feel so much better. I know this project is going to be a success. I am really looking forward to sharing all that with Kate tomorrow, and see how she interprets the results." Kate was both a sociologist and a neuropsychologist. She was the one who would analyze and validate the results of our evaluations.

"I was both stressed and excited when we arrived in Boston. Now I am only excited. We did great." He lifted his glass of white wine and proposed a toast "To us Amy. To a great team."

I lifted mine as well "Yes, to the three of us. It's going to be a success. Cheers!" and we banged our glasses together, staring at each other.

He kept his eyes in mine "I am happy working with you Amy. And I am really looking forward for the moment when we will go to your lab to proceed with your field of expertise. I know I will learn a lot with you."

"Well, it won't happen before another couple of months when we have selected the panel and we start monitoring their brains. Right now I am the one benefiting from your knowledge." I smiled.

"I am glad you appreciate it." He smiled back.

The dinner went quite well. I really enjoyed Brian's company. And he behaved like a real gentleman. We walked back to the hotel together. He even walked me to my door.

"Alright, Brian. Thanks for a lovely evening."As I had just swiped my card to get inside my room, Brian grabbed my hand and leant forward to kiss me on the lips. I was taken aback by his move. When I finally realized what was going on, I pulled away. "Brian, what are you doing?" I said, stunned.

"Amy, I really like you. We get along so well and …"

"I have a boyfriend Brian. I love him." I interrupted him "I like you as a colleague, but there is nothing more, as far as I am concerned. I am sorry."

He looked away, obviously realizing he had just made a mistake. "Amy, I am sorry, I thought… well, I was sure… I am so sorry." And he left abruptly.

I got inside my room, still a bit shaken by what had just happened. At that exact moment, as if he had a sixth sense, Sheldon sent me at text message.

**Amy, are you available for a skype session now?**

I considered the situation for a few minutes. What was I to do? Lie to him and pretend I could not talk to him now? Or talk to him and avoid the topic? Or talk to him and tell him what just happened? I had promised myself that I would never lie to him, especially about other men… I know how jealous he can be sometimes and usually for no reason. But I just could not tell him now. Not now. And not on skype or on the phone.

I decided to text Penny **Penny, can I call you. I have a problem. Don't tell Sheldon. A**

I took a few seconds for penny to reply** Call me, I am at work. I'm having a break right now.**

I grabbed my phone and called her immediately.

"Hey Ames, so what is going on?"

"Hi Penny, I need your help, please."

"Sure, what's up?"

And I told her exactly what had happened with Brian, and that I really had no idea that he felt like that for me. Or maybe I had suspicions, but just did not want to believe it before a few minutes ago.

"Amy, what do you feel about him?"

"Brian? He is a colleague and I appreciate him, but that's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Penny, I love Sheldon, he is the only man I am interested in."

"Alright Sweetie. What is the problem then?"

"Well, Sheldon just sent me a text. He wants to skype with me right now. What should I do?"

"Amy, if you tell Sheldon, especially over the phone or computer, you know how he will react, right?"

"Yes… but I cannot lie to him, can I?"

"Why don't you wait to talk to him when you come back? You could let him call you tonight, but keep that incident to yourself…"

I thought about it for a second "I think that's what I will do; I will call him. I really want to see his face right now, I miss him. But I don't know how good a liar I am… Penny, I feel terrible."

"Don't Amy, you have done nothing wrong. That Brian guy kissed you, and you did not even kiss him back. And you just told me, you love Sheldon. Just be yourself with him, and you will be fine."

"Alright. Thanks Penny. I will call him now."

"Keep me updated Sweetie. And don't panic."

I hung up and replied to Sheldon immediately, while switching on the computer as well. Within a few minutes, I heard the sound of skype.

"Hi Amy!"

"Hello Sheldon! How are you? " I was very tensed, and hoped he would not realize it.

"I am fine. I am quite busy at work. I am working with Kripke again, on the dark matter theory." He paused "Amy, I wanted to keep you updated; Mom called me today. Meemaw went to her appointment with the psychologist today. She told Mom that all went well."

"That's great news Sheldon. Hopefully she will keep going there. She has to. And I know she will get better soon."

"I hope so. So what about you Amy? How are you? How is the project going?"

"Everything is as fine as can be. We have had two great days. I am so excited about this project Sheldon. And I am really looking forward to the next two days, here, in Columbia." I said enthusiastically. "Oh and Sheldon, yesterday, I met with Dr Jane Perry. Do you remember, she is the experimental physicist you talked to in Phoenix? I had dinner with her yesterday evening."

"Oh yes I remember. By the way, wasn't she working on the dark matter? Do you think you could give me her number?"

"Sure Sheldon. I will text it to you." I paused a moment "Sheldon, I miss you. I am so glad we can see each other onscreen tonight." I was beginning to lose it.

"I am glad too. I miss you. " he frowned "Amy, are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. It is just that I am very tired Sheldon. I will have to go now." I could not let him understand there was something going on.

"Yes, sure, it is late for you. At what time do you have to wake up tomorrow?"

"At 6.30am. I have to go for breakfast at 7.30am."

"Oh, I am sorry for calling you so late." He apologized.

"Don't be. I love you Sheldon. Thanks for caring for me. "

"Of course I care. I love you. Can I call you again tomorrow? I want to make sure you are doing fine, Amy."

"Yes. I'll send you a text tomorrow night, so we can decide on a time. Sweet dreams Sheldon."

"Goodnight Amy!" And he waved, before switching off.

I had some trouble falling asleep that night. I was wondering what would happen in the next few days with Brian. Would he pretend nothing happened, or would he feel embarrassed about it? Would it be awkward working together now? I could not afford worrying about it now. I was exhausted, I had to sleep. Then I remembered Sheldon's face, which was all that mattered to me for now. And fell asleep thinking of him.

I woke up in the morning, quite anxious to see Brian again. But as I met him for breakfast, he apologized once again and promised it would not affect our collaboration. I thanked him. And we managed to behave as if everything were normal. When I got back to my room after breakfast to get ready, I was in for a wonderful surprise; a bunch composed of at least thirty red roses had been delivered in to my room. On the card, it said **For the most brilliant girlfriend. I miss you. S **. It was so beautiful and it smelled so good. And I knew that Sheldon could not be unaware of the meaning of red roses: True love. I smiled, with a tear in my eye. That was both so marvelous and unexpected from my boyfriend. But it was exactly what I needed today.


	30. The Trial Week Reflection

The journey home on Sunday evening turned out to be interminable. On the plane, I did not manage to relax as much as when Amy flies with me. I tried to bury myself into the comic books I had brought with me, but that proved not to be enough to help me loosen up.I was thinking back about that weekend with Amy, about these two mornings when I woke up with her in my arms, about this tender and very intimate cuddling yesterday evening, about these innocent yet enjoyable moments spent together - cooking together or walking around hand in hand in Galveston –, about that lovely kiss we shared only minutes ago before boarding… Really, what is going on with me? For her, I even push my limits so much further than what I thought I was ready for. I had not planned finding myself bare-chested in a bed with her yesterday evening, and yet I did not think about it twice when she asked me; and I never thought I would love the contact of her hands on my bare flesh that much. And the bonding between Amy and my sister, my mother and above all my Meemaw. Never in my life would I have imagined that I would let anyone get that close to my family. And yet I love that Amy is getting along so well with all of them.

It took me one more hour after landing to collect my bags and get back home with a cab. Once home, I sent a text message to Amy to let her know I got home safely and to make sure she was fine. Then I went downstairs to wash my laundry. Once again, I was doing it outside my usual laundry day. That is another thing that has changed without me totally paying attention; for some time now, my routine and habits seem to have become secondary; first because of what happened to Meemaw, then because of my trips to Texas and Arizona, but it was mainly directly because of Amy.I realized that when a choice had to be made, lately, I never chose my routine over Amy anymore. So as disappointed as I was spending this coming week without Amy, I knew it offered me a good opportunity to go back to my routine and put things into perspective about my relationship with Amy. For a week, I would be able to check if the new changes in my life suited me. And also test my ability to trust Amy. I was aware that this jealousy of mine could cause problems with Amy in the future. I had to try my best to fight against that feeling. Once my laundry done, I ate and went to bed, as I had to begin this trial week well rested.

On Monday morning, President Siebert called both Kripke and me in; he suggested that we should once again work together on an important research about dark matter. He wanted us to focus on the data published by NASA a couple of months ago about the Weakly Interacting Massive Particles or WIMPs. Because a month ago, the Alpha Metric Spectrometer mounted on the International Space Station finally gave results that could be exploited concerning dark matter and what might constitute it. Siebert wants us to start analyzing these results, as well as the data coming from the underground facilities located in South Dakota and Minnesota. Indeed, for a couple of years now, several labs had been installed inside former mines because it provides a quiet environment for detecting faint but earth-penetrating signals from Space. It is a huge opportunity for me, maybe the one I had been waiting for for years; a breakthrough in this field would without the shadow of a doubt lead to a Nobel both accepted the assignment promptly and went back to my office to agree on a way to proceed. Of course, both Kripke and I had already read all the publications about the AMS and the data collected. Now, the two of us had to find contacts who could give us access to the data gathered in either one of the underground facilities. We needed information fromboth sources in order to extrapolate and build a model that would explain one of the biggest mysteries of our universe. I was extremely excited by the whole thing. That was a challenge on par with my genius. And I did not mind having Kripke as a partner; he had proven to be a suitable coworker in the past and I knew we would manage working together.

Family-wise as well this week started quite well; indeed, on Tuesday, Mom kept me updated on Meemaw's progress. She said that since we left, she had been feeling a little better every day. She had seen the psychologist in the morning and said she was willing to follow her advice to get better as soon as possible. Mom said that she really seemed more enthusiastic about everything, including her work with the speech therapist and the physiotherapist; she had also asked Mom to buy her some wool so she could knit, and she planned on going back to the senior day care center on Friday. It was such an improvement in a week time; everyone in the family was so excited about it. And it was all thanks to Amy. I got back earlier than usual from the Cheesecake factory that evening to let her know about the big news. It would be the first time she and I would manage to skype each other this week; I was thrilled. But when we finally talked to each other, I was under the impression that something was not right with Amy;she looked pretty tensed. She told me that it was just because she was exhausted. Poor Amy, she was so involved in her project, she had put a lot into it, and I had not been as supportive as I should have been so far. But this time, I wanted to show her that I was there to cheer on her, no matter what. As soon as I hung up, I went online to order flowers. I remembered that once, when Penny an important part in a play, Leonard had had flowers delivered to her beforehand to show her his support. Leonard had explained to me then that it was the best way to show your appreciation and support as a boyfriend, and Penny had seemed to appreciate it a lot. I decided to use the same method to assure Amy of my support today. I chose to send her 37 red roses. 37, same as the number of months I have known Amy - I thought that 1145 as the number of days would be a bit too many. I had it delivered in the morning so her day would start with a proof of my moral support. And love. True love. As soon as she got the flowers, she sent me a text message to tell me that she liked it. I was happy. I imagined her smile, and it put me in the best mood as well.

On Monday evening, Amy had had dinner with her colleagues from Harvard, the ones I had met in Phoenix at the convention. When Amy mentioned her name, I remembered that Dr Jane Perry, the experimental physicist, was actually working on the dark matter. What a coincidence that Amy talked about her exactly when I was looking for someone with her profile! As soon as I received her contact details, I called her on Wednesday morning. She was indeed part of the team that exploited the results obtained in the gold mine of South Dakota. She explained to me that she would go there at least twice a month and that she had an exclusive access to all data. In return, I explained to her what our research work would consist in and asked her whether she could be interested in being part of it. She told me that personally, she was very interested, and I knew from her tone of voice that she was sincere about it, but that she had to talk about it with her coworker and to her hierarchy. I talked to Kripke about Dr Perry and her work, then I talked to Siebert about a possible joint venture with Harvard. Both of them were interested by the idea. Dr Perry had promised that she would give me her answer before Friday. In the meantime, Kripke and I went on looking for other possibilities.

On Wednesday evening, just before new comic book night, I called Amy to check if she was doing better and give her updates on my work. I was so excited to share my news with her.

"Good evening Amy."

"Good evening Sheldon." she was sitting at a desk in her hotel room. Suddenly she turned lightly the computer to make me see the bunch of flowers "Thanks so much Sheldon, they are just so beautiful. It's been such a nice surprise this morning. You made my day." She turned back the computer to show her face which radiated with happiness.

"I'm pleased you liked it." I smiled "how did your first day in New York go?"

"Very well. Kate arrived today and we could interview eight candidates. All of them were very interesting. This tour on the East Coast is really being very profitable."

"I am glad for you. I too had a very interesting day. I contacted Dr Perry and she could be interested in working with me. She is simply waiting for a go-ahead from her university. I am very thrilled about it."

"Wow, that's great Sheldon. She heaped praise on you the last time I saw her; I really hope you will be able to work together, she is a brilliant woman."

"Yes. With the right team and some hard work, I know we can have a breakthrough and maybe solve one of the biggest mysteries of this century. But we are not there yet."

"I hope it will work for you Sheldon, you deserve it. You are the most brilliant person I know." She stared at me and smiled "So, tell me, how is everybody at home? Penny?"

I frowned "Penny sent me a very disturbing text message today. I don't know how to process what she asked me; she wants me to help her rehearse for an audition for some TV show tomorrow evening."

« No? You? » and she started laughing.

"It is not funny Amy." I said, frowning harder. "I will go by her place before going to new Comic Book night to give her my answer; I am a scientist, not a hippie!"

"Oh it could be fun Sheldon. And Penny needs your help, you are her friend. Do you remember that she helped you once with Fun with Flags? It would be nice of you to reciprocate Sheldon."

I snorted. "Alright. I will think about it." I checked the time on the computer "Amy, I am sorry, I have to go now."

"Yes, so do I, the others must be waiting for me in the lobby."

"Brian?" I could not help saying, trying to sound casual though.

"Brian and Kate. We are going out for a drink." She said, obviously a bit annoyed.

"Good evening Amy, I miss you here. But only two nights left and you are back." I smiled.

"Good evening Sheldon. Have a nice time at Stuart 's." She waved and I hung up. I thought for a second about Amy's advice about helping Penny. I caught my satchel, closed the door of my apartment and crossed the hall.

"Knock, Knock, Knock Penny! Knock, Knock, Knock Penny! Knock, Knock, Knock Penny"

"Hello Sweetie, what's up?"

"Hello Penny. I am on my way to the Comic Book shop; I just wanted to tell you that I agree to rehearse with you tomorrow evening."

"Really? Oh Sweetie, thanks so much! I will be back from my class around 6pm tomorrow. Shall we meet at 6.30pm? I will bring food."

"Alright. See you then. Good evening Penny." And I headed towards the stairs.

"Sheldon, wait…. Can I come with you tonight? I feel a bit lonely, and going with you could be fun."

"That's even better if you can drive me Penny. Let's go."

"By the way Sheldon, nice touch with the flowers." I should have known Amy would tell Penny. "I was impressed when Amy told me."

"Well, I just wanted her to feel better." I said shyly.

"Well, it did work Sheldon. And that was so romantic." She grinned.

"Alright, let's go now Penny."

On the following day, 6.30pm sharp, Penny arrived with food and her scripts. The role she was auditioning for was a guest appearance, which could become a recurring role in the future, in a very popular sitcom. She would play a nurse who is the love interest of one of the main characters. The dialogues were just extremely stupid, but I did as I had promised her and read with her. I had kept my computer switched on on my desk for the whole time, and at 8pm, skype rang. It was Amy. Penny and I were in the middle of a dialogue, but I rushed towards the computer and answered.

"Hello Amy!" I said, smiling.

"Hello Sheldon! How are you doing?" She looked great, all smile.

"I am fine. Penny is here, we are in the middle of rehearsing."

"Oh, hi Penny!"

Penny came closer to me and waved to the screen "Hi Amy!"

"Am I interrupting?"

"Actually, yes…" Penny replied.

"No... we were going to have a break." I frowned towards Penny.

"Okay, no, we were going to have a break I guess…" Penny said, smiling.

"Alright. So how is it going?" Amy went on.

"Great. Surprisingly, your boyfriend here is a natural!" Penny said.

"I have to say it is not as annoying as I thought it would be." I admitted.

"That's great. And what about your project Sheldon? Have you heard from Jane already?"

"No. I hope she will call me back tomorrow. What about you? Are you done with all the interviews?"

"No, not yet. We still have four people to meet tomorrow. And then we will head to the airport in the afternoon. I have had a very productive time here, but I have to say I am really looking forward to coming back home."

"At what time will you be back to Los Angeles?"

"My plane is supposed to land in LAX at 7.45pm. My car is at the airport, so I should be home quite early, around 8.30pm, I will call you when I am home Sheldon."

"Great." I checked where Penny was. She had her head in the fridge grabbing something to drink. I took advantage of that moment to whisper "Amy, I miss you. I am glad you are back tomorrow, at last."

"So am I Sheldon." She whispered back. "Okay, I will go now. I am exhausted. Goodbye Sheldon, Goodbye Penny!"

"Goodbye Sweetie!" Penny said, as she walked back towards my desk "Call me when you are back. Up for a girls' night or shopping on Saturday?"

"Maybe. I don't know yet what my schedule will be for the weekend." She was staring at me. I stared back but said nothing "I'll let you know. Bye guys!" she hung up.

"Come on Romeo, let's go back to what we were doing." Penny said, sitting back on the couch.

"Yes, I am coming." I waited a second, hesitating to ask Penny for her opinion. Finally I decided on asking her "Penny, do you think that Amy would be glad if I decided to go and meet her at the airport tomorrow?"

Penny stared at me, obviously surprised "Well Sheldon, of course she would. She would be both surprised and happy about it." she paused "but Sheldon why exactly do you want to go?"

"I just thought she might like it. And we could spend the evening together at hers. I could maybe even stay for the night…"

She was even more stunned "Wow. Okay Sweetie, but… is that really all?"

"Well, maybe also… maybe I want to meet with that guy, Brian, her colleague." I blushed and looked away.

"Still jealous, uh Shelly?"

"No, I have been working on it, but I want to meet him."

"Yes sure. Be careful there Sheldon; she asked you to trust her, and I think you should."

"Penny, the first reason why I am going is that I have missed her, and want to spend the evening with her. I swear. But meeting Brian could help me too."

Penny and I resumed rehearsing. Then I went to bed glad that the following day, Amy would be back. And I would be there to welcome her. After almost one week apart, there was one thing I was sure of: as much as I enjoyed reverting back to some of my habits, I missed Amy far more. I was not making any mistake; I really wanted her to play that big a part in my life.

I left the university a little later than usual on Friday, and called a cab; I was at the airport ten minutes before the plane landed. I waited patiently outside of the arrival area. Suddenly I saw her. She was talking with a petite blonde woman, and a tall brown haired man was behind then, pushing a trolley. When she saw me in the crowd, Amy looked very surprised. She frowned, then smiled and whispered my name. Then she walked towards me. "Sheldon! What a surprise! What are you doing here?"

I opened my arms and hugged her "Hello Amy." Then I kissed her on the lips. "I missed you, and just thought I'd come here to welcome you. Are you not happy to see me?"

"Well, yes, of course." She grasped my hand "Come, I will introduce you to Kate and Brian." When we came closer to her colleagues, Amy introduced us "Sheldon, here is Kate, and here is Brian. Brian, Kate, my boyfriend, Sheldon." She still had her hand in mine and Brian had his eyes fixed on it. Which was obviously making Amy uncomfortable. Not me, it was my hand she was holding, not his. I was proud of it.

"Sheldon, it is nice to meet you!" Kate said, stretching out her hand towards me. I reluctantly shook hands with her. If I was more comfortable with touching Amy, I was still uncomfortable touching anyone else.

"Nice to meet you too Kate." then I stretched my hand towards Brian "And you too, Brian." and I shook his hand vigorously, looking at him straight in the eyes.

I could tell he was studying me as I was studying him. "Nice to meet you Sheldon." he sounded strange. Then he looked at both Amy and me again. I pulled her closer to me, with my hand around her waist. He looked away then said "Alright, I will have to go now. Amy, Kate, I see you on Monday morning at work. Sheldon, it was nice meeting you."

"Goodbye Brian." The girls said. I nodded and he left. By the way he looked at us, I understood that my doubts were well-founded. And witnessing Amy's obvious discomfort, I realized she knew he had feelings for her. I was boiling inside. But I kept it all for myself, I was so happy she was back, I did not want to spoil it all once again. Not now. But it was not easy.

Suddenly, a little red hair boy came closer to us "Mommy!" he said and he jumped to hug Kate.

"Hello you!" Kate said. A couple more kids came closer, followed by a red haired man. They all hugged her, one by one.

"Amy, Sheldon, here is my family! My husband Mark, and our three little monsters : Dylan, Kevin and Brandon. Kids, please say hi."

"Hi!" the three of them said in unison. Kate's husband stretched his hand towards me. I held my breath once again and shook it. "Delighted to meet you both." Then he turned towards Kate "We'd better go now, I am double parked and I would not want the police to fine me. Give me your bag darling." and he walked towards the exit "Goodbye guys."

Kate said "Goodbye" and followed him, as well as their three kids.

I turned towards Amy "Alright, shall we go now? Where is your car?" I asked, grabbing her bag. She nodded and we walked towards the parking lot. Once there, I put both our bags in the trunk.

"Why did you bring a bag Sheldon?" she asked, confused, as we sat in the car.

"Well, I thought that maybe we could spend the evening together at your place, and maybe, if you are okay, I could spend the night there with you?" I blushed.

"Sounds like an amazing plan." She leant to leave a peck on my cheek. "Thanks for coming Sheldon. That's the best surprise ever."

As she pulled away, I leant closer, placed my hand on her cheek and brushed her lips with mine. "I am glad you think so." She was mine, I knew it; no Brian could steal her from me. Ever.

**A/N: Again, thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate it. Sorry for the delay. I had some research to do about dark matter. But I am quite happy to be able to write about it. I will develop a little more in the coming chapters.**

**I am sorry for my writing: English is not my first language, as you probably noticed. I hope it is not too difficult for you to read this story because of it. I am trying my best.**


	31. The Shamy Evolution Formalization

"Home at last!" I said, taking my bag from Sheldon's hands and heading to my bedroom "Sheldon, I have had a tough day, I'll be taking a shower now; make yourself at home, please."

"Yes, sure, you relax, take your time and I will go and buy food for the two of us at the Italian around the corner."

"Awesome, thank you." I yelled from the bathroom "don't forget to take the spare key. It is on the table by the door."

As I was walking in the shower, I heard the door slam. I was delighted to be back home, getting ready to have a relaxing evening with my boyfriend. I had been pleasantly surprised when I saw Sheldon waiting for me at the airport. My very first reaction had been to feel happy seeing him there after almost a week apart. He took me in his arms and kissed me tenderly, and I was on cloud nine. Nevertheless, I quickly realized that the situation was not going to be easy to deal with; there I was, stuck between a jealous boyfriend and a colleague that had feelings for me. I breathed deeply, took Sheldon's hand in mine to gather my courage and led him towards Kate and Brian. I knew that Sheldon had been suspicious of Brian for weeks, he had told me so last weekend. So I was expecting him to behave like a jerk, like he had behaved when I had been dating Stuart a few years ago. But surprisingly that was not what happened. Sheldon behaved quite friendly with Brian; first he shook his hand, which I knew was not easy for him. Then, when there was that uncomfortable silence, Sheldon simply held me closer to him. I could feel all the muscles of his body tense, but he kept it to himself and remained cordial. I was stunned, but also so proud of him and glad that everything went okay. But at the same time, I was a bit sad for Brian; he had been trying to pretend that nothing had happened last Tuesday evening, and had been very professional all week. But on a personal level, I could feel that he was not acting the same with me anymore; we were no longer the friends I thought we were. I did not say anything for the whole week because it was a bit awkward. And the fact that Kate arrived on the following day definitely helped us avoiding talking to each other as much as possible. But there, at the airport, I felt bad for him. I knew I needed to talk to him as soon as possible; I missed him as a friend and hoped we could make things better. But first and foremost I needed to talk to Sheldon; I know that social interactions are not his strongest asset, but he probably realized the discomfort between Brian and I; I needed to explain to him what was going on before he misinterpreted it.

I got out of the shower, feeling much better, and grabbed my bathrobe. I dried my hair then got dressed with a skirt and a blouse in which I would feel comfortable. When I got back to the living room, Sheldon was not back yet. I put my iphone on its dock and started playing some music. Then I sat down comfortably on the couch, leaning on the arm; it did not take me long to fall asleep.

"Amy….. Amy…" his sweet voice whispering my name woke me up. The music was still playing in the background.

I opened my eyes and what I saw first, a few centimeters away from me, was his beautiful blue eyes. I smiled. "Sorry Sheldon, I must have fallen asleep for a few minutes, I …."

I was trying to stand up but he put his hand on my arm to stop me. "Don't worry, everything is ready." he showed me the boxes of food and plates carefully placed in front of us on the coffee table. "All you have to do is wake up slowly and we'll have dinner when you are ready."

"Mmm that's perfect, thank you." I kissed him on the cheek "can we cuddle a little? That would definitely help me wake up gently…"

"Of course, but not for too long, or all this will be cold" he replied, showing the food on the table. He opened his arms and drew me close to him.

I cuddled up to him, resting my head on his chest "Sheldon, I am really glad that we can spend this evening together. I was very surprised that you came to the airport to meet me." I hesitated but I knew I had to ask him. I went on "Sheldon, I cannot help wondering if you came just because you wanted to meet Brian."

He waited a few seconds then replied "Amy, the main reason why I went to the airport was to greet you; I have missed you this whole week and I wanted to spend quality time with you tonight" He paused then went on "But to be fair, I have to confess that I also wanted to meet him. I promise I trust you Amy, as you have asked me to. And for this whole past week, I tried not to let my jealousy take control of me. But I had to see him. I had to see the two of you together."

"I see" I replied, not sure how to react.

"Amy, are you mad at me?"

"No, I don't think so." I thought about it for a second and went on "I liked it that for the whole past week, you did not mention Brian once. And at the airport, when I saw you, for a minute I thought that you would make a scandal. But you behaved yourself. I knew it was not easy for you, but you kept it all to yourself. Thanks for that."

He sat up straight slowly and placed a kiss on my forehead. "Now, we should really eat, it will be cold." And he sat on the edge of the couch.

I looked at him pouring the content of the boxes in our plates. I hesitated for a moment but I really had to talk to him; we had promised each other that we would always be sincere with one another. "Sheldon, there is something I have to tell you."

"Yes?" He put the boxes back on the table and turned towards me to focus on what I was going to say.

I breathed deeply and finally said "Brian kissed me when we were in New York." He was frowning. I placed my hand on his and went on "I was taken by surprise. I did not kiss him back, I pulled away as soon as I realized what was going on, I swear Sheldon."

"I was right" he muttered.

"Sheldon, you are the one I love. Brian is just a colleague to me. And that's exactly what I told him right after I pulled away. And he understood, apologized and went away. And we never talked about it again afterwards."

His eyes were fixed on the floor now as he said "I knew it. And the way he was looking at us at the airport confirmed it for me; I could tell there was jealousy in his eyes. I realized that the two of us were jealous, but the difference was that I was the one with your hand in mine." He smiled.

I put my hand below his chin and slowly lifted his head up so he would look at me "Sheldon, please, tell me you trust me. I am not interested in him. I love you."

"I know. I trust you. I love you too" He kissed me tenderly on the mouth "I really think we should have dinner now, it is going to be cold!"

We began eating. After a few minutes, I broke the uncomfortable silence between us by asking him more about his dark matter project. His face came to life again. He told me that Jane had given him a positive answer and that their collaboration would start quite soon, after the two labs agreed on the details. Sheldon explained to me in details what his project was all about and I could tell by the tone of his voice that that was the project of his dreams. With his previous work on M theory, and the data he would be given access to, he was almost positive he could be on the verge of solving one of the biggest mysteries of the Universe, if not the biggest mystery, and the answer to everything. His enthusiasm was very refreshing. We enjoyed our dinner and once we had finished, we decided on watching a movie together. I let Sheldon choose whatever he wanted to watch because anyways I knew I would not be able to stay awake for long. Considering the choice among my DVDs, which for the most part did not appeal to him, Sheldon chose to watch one of the Star trek DVDs he had offered me last year. We got settled comfortably and as expected, after merely fifteen minutes, I was lying asleep in his arms. When I emerged an hour later, Sheldon was still watching Star Trek. I got up slowly, kissed him on his cheek and went to bed. I invited him to come with me but he said he wanted to see the end of the episode, and that he would come and join me in my bedroom later. I feel asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, and I did not hear when Sheldon finally came to bed.

It was only the morning after, as the sunlight shone through the window, that I saw him lying next to me. First, I did not understand where I was; after so many mornings waking up in different beds, it took me some time to realize that I was actually in my own bed. Then I remembered that I was not by myself this morning; I turned towards the center of the bed and I saw him, apparently asleep, with his back to me. That was a pity that we could not fall asleep together last night. I slowly moved closer to him between the sheets. I whispered to his ears "Sheldon, are you awake?"

He answered gently "Mmm yes" and as he was on the verge of turning towards me, I put my hand on his arm to stop him.

"No, wait, don't move please. Maybe as we are in position, we could spoon a little?"

He stopped moving immediately "Of course." I got a little closer and placed my arm around his waist. I rested my head against his neck and gently kissed him. We stayed that way for a few minutes. Then without notice, Sheldon pulled away from our embrace. He sat down on the edge of the bed for a minute then walked towards the bathroom. I grabbed my phone on the bedside table and checked what time it was. 9am. I got up reluctantly and went to the kitchen to prepare our breakfast. When he was done in the bathroom, Sheldon came to join me for breakfast. All I had to offer was milk, cereals, coffee and tea, but Sheldon said he was fine with that. We talked about Comic Con, as Sheldon was still trying to convince me to go there with him and the guys next weekend. Then my phone vibrated. I grasped it and read the message "It is from Penny, she wants to know whether I am available this afternoon for shopping and tonight for a girls' night out at a bar." I put the phone back on the table in front of me "What is your plan for today Sheldon?"

He stared at me "I just thought we could relax together this morning, then I'd like to take you somewhere for a surprise lunch. Afterwards, I had just imagined that you could come home with me and spend the weekend at mine." He blushed, which I found very cute.

I nodded "Sure, that's a good idea."

"Now, if you feel like going shopping with Penny this afternoon and then spend the evening with the girls, it is up to you."

"Sheldon, are you sure? I mean, if you'd rather spend time together, I can tell Penny we will go shopping some other time. »

"No. That's fine, really. We talked about it last weekend, and you were right. I know you enjoy spending time with your girlfriends, so you should just do it. I will call Raj and Howard to know if they feel like going paintballing and then playing Halo at my place tonight."

"Alright, I call Penny. Do you think we will be back from lunch at say 3pm?"

"Yes it should be fine."

I was rather startled by Sheldon's reaction. First about Brian, he had been able to act rationally, even after I told him about what had happened last Tuesday. And now again, he was trying hard not to act as possessive as he had last weekend. The talk last weekend and that week apart had really had the best effect on him.

After breakfast, I had a shower and prepared a bag of clothes for my sleepover at Sheldon's while he was doing the washing up. Then we left for Sheldon's surprise lunch, which happened to take place at Professor Proton's. That was such a lovely surprise. I had been willing to meet him for a long time; as a kid, he had been my hero. I never missed him on television, which was another thing I had in common with Sheldon. The Professor Proton show was my weekly appointment with science. I even sometimes pretended I was talking to him and he was talking back to me. Sheldon had been able to meet him a few months ago when I was away for a conference, and since then, he had been telling me that some day he would introduce us. And the day had finally come. Arthur, as he had allowed me to call him, was a nice old man, but so lonely. I think he really appreciates Sheldon's visits. And he probably reminds Sheldon of his grandfather who died when he was a toddler. Their friendship is really sweet and genuine. We spent a nice time with him and as we left, we promised to do it again soon.

I left Sheldon by his apartment building and drove to the mall to meet with Penny and Bernadette. I was in a great mood, after all these sweet moments spent with the best boyfriend ever; the girls noticed it and wanted to know why I was that happy. I promised I would tell them more during the evening. But my good mood had collateral effects; I spent lots of money. I bought two dresses, two skirts and three blouses. And a pair of elegant shoes. The dresses and skirts were a bit shorter and less loose than what I usually wear, but Penny and Bernadette managed to convince me to buy them. I even promised that I would wear the shorter dress tonight at the bar.

We got back home at Penny's, changed clothes, put on some make up and went for dinner with the guys at Sheldon's before they started their Halo night. Of course, except Penny, none of our friends knew about Sheldon's and my relationship's changes. Personally, I did not mind letting the others know, but I had not had the opportunity to talk about it with Sheldon. We all sat down on our usual spots and ate the pizzas we had had delivered. Sheldon was unusually silent, and I knew him enough now to know something was wrong. Not once did he look at me in the eyes, but from time to time I could feel he had his eyes on my cleavage or on my legs. When Sheldon got up to grab some more drinks for everyone, I followed him and seized the opportunity to talk to him without the others hearing us.

"Sheldon, is there something wrong?" I whispered.

He looked at me straight in the eyes, sighed and ended up saying "Amy, I try very hard not to be jealous, really, but this outfit of yours, that's too much for me. Especially because I know you will be wearing it to go to a bar without me. Do you think that maybe you could change and wear something less… provoking?"

"What is wrong with my outfit? Look at Penny and Bernadette; their dresses are shorter than mine."

"I don't care what Penny and Bernadette wear. That outfit gives me discomfort. Please, I have made efforts, could you please make one for me in return?"

I thought for a second. He was right, he had made lots of efforts, I could do him that one little favor, even though it was irrational from him "Alright. I have another outfit in my bag. I will go and change at Penny's before leaving."

"Thanks Amy." He smiled "Maybe you can wear this dress when it is just the two of us?"

"Alright." I smiled back. He was ready to go back to the living room "Wait a second Sheldon. There is something else I wanted to ask you. Maybe we could let our friends know about what has changed in our relationship? I am feeling more and more uncomfortable around Bernadette."

He thought for a second "Very well. You are right, we can let them know. They don't necessarily have to know everything though. How do…"

A voice coming from the living room interrupted us "Sheldon, Amy, what are you doing over there. Do I have to go and fetch these drinks myself?" It was Howard.

"No, sorry, here it is." I replied, walking back towards the living room. I sat back, handing Howard and Raj their drinks, while Sheldon was giving Penny and Bernadette theirs before sitting back next to me.

When we had all finished our pizzas, I got up and asked Penny to give me her key. I explained to her that I did not feel comfortable in that outfit and I wanted to change before going out. When I came back in one of my usual outfits, I looked at Sheldon and saw that he approved, unlike both Penny and Bernadette. Now was the time for us to go. Bernadette bent towards Howard and kissed him goodbye, while Penny and I made our way to the door. Suddenly, Sheldon got up, came close to the door and leant towards me, placing a kiss on my lips. Then he hugged me and whispered to my ear "Here we are; now they know." He pulled away and said "See you later Amy."

I could not believe that he just did what he did. I was delighted, and I smiled even more when I saw the stunned faces of all the others, Penny included. I opened the door and left, followed by Penny and Bernadette, still in shock.

We were barely in the taxi that Bernadette asked me to explain to her what had just happened. I promised I would tell her all she wanted to know at the bar. After ordering drinks and finding a spot where to sit, I was grilled by both girls.

"So Amy, you are not going to get out of it without answering all of our questions. But first, what is going on between Sheldon and you?" Bernadette asked.

"If you want to know, our relationship has changed a little." I replied, smiling playfully.

"Yes, that I understood. But you'll have to tell us more."

"He is more demonstrative now. And every day I discover a new aspect of Sheldon. He can be so sensitive and romantic."

"Are you really talking about the Sheldon Cooper?" Bernadette frowned.

I was getting ready to reply but Penny talked first "Yes, it's been difficult for me to believe it at first, but when you spend some time with the two of them, you can actually see that Sheldon cannot stop touching her or looking at her. It freaks me out sometimes."

"Hey!" I said, offended.

"No offense Sweetie. You have to admit that the change is disturbing."

"Disturbing is not the adjective I would use…. I'd say it is enjoyable." I smiled.

"He even told her that he loved her a few weeks ago. I was there, I saw it." Penny added.

"No? wow! Amy, the next treat is on you! We have something to celebrate tonight."

"Very well. Waiter?" And we went on talking and drinking for hours. Around 2am, we decided on going back home. The three of us were quite drunk when we left. I don't even know how we managed to pay the taxi and walk up the four flights of stairs. I was maybe the least drunk of the group. As we got inside apartment 4A, the boys were still playing. But as soon as they realized the state we were in, they got up to take care of us. Raj took Penny back to her apartment. Howard grabbed Bernadette's things and hurried to take her home. And Sheldon took care of me. I was a bit ashamed that he would see me like that again, but I really needed to chill out tonight, and I did not pay attention as too how much alcohol I ended up drinking. And I had lots of fun. Sheldon did not judge me. He sat me down on the couch then went to the kitchen to fetch me some water and tablets. I swallowed it then he led me to the bathroom. He had me take a shower, leaving towels and my pajama by the sink, and checked about every couple of minutes that I had not fainted by calling my name through the door. When I left the bathroom, he took me to his room and had me lie down. He left me by myself for a few minutes then came back in his pajamas and lied down next to me. I clung to him, snuggling up to him, and he let me. He kissed me gently on the forehead and said "You should really try to sleep now Amy. Goodnight." I replied "Goodnight Cuddles!" and I fell asleep straight away, hoping that I would remember this time that he had been taking such good care of me. I had the best boyfriend ever.


	32. The Comfort Zone Deficiency

**A/N: I am sorry it took me a little longer to update. I'll try to post next chapter within a couple of days. Again, thanks a lot for the reviews, I love them. I hope you will appreciate this chapter, it was fun to write anyways.**

I was in a good mood on Saturday afternoon: not only was Amy back after five days away but we had managed to spend some fun time together, including lunch at Professor Proton's. Arthur obviously appreciated her and I was thrilled about it. Not that it really surprised me, but you can never know in advance; after all, Amy and Will Wheaton don't get along, for some reason I still don't understand. There was only one fly in the ointment: I could not get out of my head that Amy's colleague Brian had kissed her when they were on the East Coast. I was so pissed off. I managed to stay calm the whole time I was with Amy though. After all, she had confessed it to me, and it was probably not an easy situation for her either. But I simply could not overlook it. When Amy drove me back home before going shopping with Penny and Bernadette, I met with Wolowitz and Koothrappali and the three of us went paintballing. And for the first time in months, our team won. First, as a group, we were overmotivated because it was the first time we managed to go paintballing since Leonard left. And I personally was especially on fire today; I imagined that all of our opponents were Brian. And I managed to kill 25 Brians without being killed! It was my sweet harmless revenge and definitely the best alternative to ease my anger.

Then the three of us got back home to have dinner with the girls before our halo night and their girls night out. It was really satisfactory that we could finally resume some of our group activities; of course, since Leonard left, we had never ceased going to the Cheesecake Factory on Tuesday evenings, but more or less all other activities had been cancelled on several occasions. The idea of being all together at home for dinner was really enjoyable, even though I knew I would have to be very careful not to touch Amy inadvertently; it had become so casual now. When the girls arrived, I knew it would be even more difficult than I had thought; Amy's new outfit was showing off more flesh than usual. Her hair and makeup were different too; it was hard for me to keep my eyes away from her. It was very unusual for Amy to be dressed in such a revealing dress, even after going shopping with Penny and Bernadette; in three years, she had always managed not to get influenced in that particular area. And tonight here she was, dressed in a light sleeveless blue dress, ending a little above the knees, with no tights and no cardigan. Her cleavage especially was too revealing and the dress was far too short for my liking, at least to be worn in public. And in an hour she was going out without me, in a bar, where drunken men would lay eyes on her, in that dress. I tried to keep my feelings to myself, but I was boiling inside. I started playing different scenarios in my head, in which men at the bar approached her, and talked to her, and tried to seduce her, and danced with her, and touched her….. I just could not stand it. I went to the kitchen under the pretext that I would bring more drinks, secretly hoping that Amy would understand that I needed to talk to her. And she obviously did and followed me there. Sometimes I think that only Amy can read my mind as if it were an open book. When the two of us found ourselves out of earshot from our friends, she asked me what was going on; I told her how I felt about her dress and asked her to change before going out. At first, she seemed reluctant but when I explained to her how uncomfortable it made me feel, she accepted. Of course, she could wear that dress some other time, when it is just the two of us; after all, it fits her body perfectly and it reveals curves that I had never even imagined were there hidden under her usual layers of clothing. Then Amy told me that she was also feeling uncomfortable lying to Bernadette about us and the changes in our relationship. Her arguments made sense, so I agreed with her that we should let them all know; after Amy had changed her clothes into something more suitable and the girls were ready to go, I walked towards her and after making sure everyone was looking at us, I did what I had been tempted to do for the whole evening. Of course, when I leant over to kiss Amy, pulled her close to me and hugged her, I knew exactly what it would lead to as soon as the women would have left the apartment.

For a few minutes though, as no one said anything, I thought maybe they would just leave it. But then both Koothrappali and Wolowitz pulled themselves together and began teasing me, as expected. As much as I could, I tried to evade the questions and went on as if nothing special had happened. We began playing Halo and I hoped it would make them stop, but after one hour of nonstop remarks, jokes and whipping sounds coming from their phones, I pressed the pause button; I had had enough. I stood up and started talking, while pacing through the living room.

"Alright, Rajesh, Howard, as you both seem very interested in my personal life, you might as well know that yes, my relationship with Amy has evolved over the past couple of months. And what you witnessed earlier tonight was just some public display of our mutual affection. And it is very likely to happen again. But I will not say anything else about it as it is intimate, so you should stop wasting your breath." I sighed "Now gentlemen please can we just resume playing?"

They were both staring at me. After a few seconds, Koothrappali simply said "Alright Sheldon, good for you and Amy. Wow! I can't believe that our dear old Smelly Pooper has finally become a human being with romantic feelings! And all because I threatened him with a hidden dirty sock three years ago! You owe me dude!" I frowned, not sure how to process what he had just said.

Wolowitz talked too "Yes Sheldon, good for you. I never thought I would hear you talk like that one day… And I guess I was wrong about mytosis…" He and Koothrappali started laughing. As I frowned even more, they both stopped and Wolowitz talked again "Alright gentlemen, let's resume fighting the Covenant!" And I pressed the pause button again.

In the end, it had not been that difficult to acknowledge the situation. But I knew that in a bar downtown, at that exact same moment, Amy was being questioned thoroughly by Bernadette and Penny; she had been sending me several text messages that confirmed it throughout the evening.

Barely five minutes after they left: **"I am glad everybody knows now. They have already started asking me questions, which makes me a bit uncomfortable, but I feel so much better with Bernadette knowing. I know it was not easy for you. Thanks so much Sheldon. I am happy. Love A."**

I sent my reply a few minutes later:** "I am getting ready to be grilled as well as soon as they recover from the surprise. It was worth though if it makes you happy. Love S."**

Then, later in the evening:** "Still on the grill… I hope it is not as bad for you. Just so you know I am not sharing too much, some things are just between you and me. Even under the influence of alcohol, I don't talk … xoxo A."** I knew I could trust her. But I was not that comfortable with the last part of the text message and I replied as soon as we could have a break from the game** "Thanks for your discretion. Please Amy don't drink too much. x S."**

After another hour or so, my phone vibrated again**: "I just wanted to tell you again that I love you, you sexy praying mantis! Your Amy."**

Oh gosh! That was too late. At that point I realized that she would probably come back home totally drunk. And sick. Hopefully she would come back soon. It was already so late. For the past hour, Wolowitz had also been receiving several text messages. He received the fifth message at the same time as I had received that last one. He frowned then he said "Yep, we'd better be ready, they sound very drunk! Does any of you know in which bar they are? Bernadette won't tell me." Both Raj and I shook our heads.

I sent a text to Amy immediately:** "Amy you sound drunk. Are you alright? Do you want us to come and pick you up? Which bar is it?"**

After another thirty minutes, another text message. For a minute, I thought we would be able to go and get them, but as I read what was on my screen, I grew unhappy:** "No you won't harsh my buzz. Not drunk, just happy. LOVE."**

Really angry now, I replied:** "Amy you are being impossible. Please stop drinking now. And come home." **I hoped she would finally come to her senses and use that brilliant brain of hers. I definitely hated the influence that Penny had on her.

I told Wolowitz and Koothrappali that Amy would not tell me where they were either. And that she sounded more drunk as the evening wore on. Howard asked me if I too received sexy messages, but I ignored him. I was getting a bit worried and found it more and more difficult to focus on the game. These irresponsible women were ruining Halo night.

Then after another thirty minutes, I was a bit relieved when I read her last text message.** "On our way home. Feeling soooo good. See you soon Cuddles."**

While still playing Halo, the three of us came up with a plan for as soon as the girls would come back. 1) I had placed tablets and glasses of water for each of them on the kitchen counter. 2) it had been decided that Raj would immediately take care of Penny and take her to her place as soon as they arrived, and Howard was ready to go back home as soon as Bernadette would have swallowed her tablets. And I would deal with Amy. For now all we could do was waiting for them. And fortunately it did not take long; ten minutes after the last text message, we heard muffled laughs and talks coming from the stairs. Then we heard one last big laugh before they knocked at the door, imitating me. The first voice we heard was Bernadette's "Knock, Knock, Knock Sheldon", then it was Penny's"Knock, Knock, Knock Sweetie" and then it was Amy's "Knock, Knock, Knock, Cuddles!" And they burst in laughter. Both Howard and Raj looked at me, laughing as well. I was not impressed. I rushed to the door to open it, and discovered the three girls as expected very much intoxicated.

"Do you really think this was funny?" I looked at all of them individually, staring at Amy more insistently."Amy, really?" I said frowning. She grinned, walked towards me and wrapped her arms around my neck "Hello Cuddles, have I already told you that you look and smell like a sexy toddler?" And she laid her head against my chest. Over her shoulder, I frowned at Penny who was still laughing. "Oh Sheldon, please be fun for once…. And we are not that dr….. Oh God!" She held her hand over her mouth and suddenly rushed towards my bathroom, followed by Raj with the glass of water and the tablets in his hands.

Bernadette did not stop laughing and making high pitched noises, with her hands all over Howard. When she started licking his ear, he grabbed her by the wrist, made her drink the water and take the tablets, then said goodbye and took her home.

There was only Amy and I left in the living room now. She was still nestling against me and was starting to kiss me in the neck, moaning. I pulled away and made her sit on the couch while I went to fetch her some water and the tablets. She swallowed it without a word and looked at me with a smile on her face. I frowned and she started grinning. I understood that there was nothing that I could tell at that moment; all I had could do for now was taking care of her and leaving all the serious talking for tomorrow. Penny and Raj went out of the bathroom, and Raj led a grumpy and pale Penny to her apartment. I followed them to get Amy's bag of clothes. I promised Raj I would come back a little later to check if everything was alright. Then I came back to my apartment and sat next to Amy. Her head was now resting against the back of the couch with her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Alright, Amy, tell me now, how do you feel?" I said gently.

"I am… okay… I think…" she said, unsure, searching for my eyes.

"Do you feel sick, like you are going to throw up any minute?"

"No I feel fine. All I want to do is kiss you!" She grinned then turned to me and put her hand on my cheek, moving her face closer to mine.

I moved my face away from hers and got up "Well, unfortunately young lady that will have to wait; what you will do now is go to the bathroom and take a shower."

"Oh Cuddles please!"

"No, come on, Amy, be reasonable now, and stand up." I grabbed her bag of clothes and stretched my other arm towards her. She grasped my hand and stood up reluctantly. I took her by the wrist and led her towards the bathroom.

"Alright, I will go but after that I want you to kiss me."

"We'll see" I said while walking. Once inside the bathroom, I told her "Okay, here we are. You undress and go to the shower. Here are towels you may use. I will prepare your night clothes and leave them by the sink while you are showering." I left and went to my bedroom. I took her pajamas and underwear from her bag and waited for a few minutes, until I heard the water running, to open the door again and get inside. I got out as fast as possible in order not to disturb her intimacy and stood by the door, calling her name from time to time to make sure that she had not fainted. When she got out of the bathroom, she looked a little better. It looked like the effects of alcohol were beginning to wane. Maybe tonight she would not vomit after all, unlike that first time when she kissed me. I led her to my bedroom. It would be easier to keep an eye on her there than in Leonard's room. I told her to go to bed then walked back towards Penny's apartment to check on her again. Raj was still there, on the verge of leaving. He told me that Penny had vomited twice more, and was now in the shower. I told him that I would take care of her from that moment on and that he could leave. I called for Penny through the bathroom door as I had done with Amy. She answered saying she was doing okay and telling me to go away. I asked her if she needed my assistance for anything, but she yelled that she was doing fine. She told me to leave her alone. Then I left and went back to Amy. Through the doorframe, I checked that she was comfortably settled in my bed and I went to the bathroom to take a shower and put on my pajamas. When I got back to the bedroom, she was half asleep; I climbed into bed. Out of reflex, she immediately turned towards me and put her arms around me. I was a bit pissed off that she would put herself in such a state, so I considered pushing her away. But it felt so good to have her in my arms, it felt like I could protect her. And I was sure that even if I were to tell her what I really thought about her behavior tonight, she would not remember the next morning. So I gave in; I let her cuddle up to me and kissed her on the forehead. That is how I fell asleep, with my arms around my woman.

I woke up exactly in the same position the next morning, with her head against my chest and my hand on her waist. She was breathing heavily, probably due to the consumption of alcohol. She was looking so peaceful now. As much as I tried to, I could not understand why someone would feel the need to drink that much. I had myself already been in such a state in the past, by accident, and all three times I had woken up realizing I had been behaving stupidly, losing control of myself, and I hated that. And it reminds me of so many awful childhood memories. When I had known Amy, she had never drunk a drop of alcohol in her life. But after she met Penny and started going out with her and Bernadette on a regular basis, she had taken up drinking occasionally. Not as much as Penny of course, but from time to time, she had a little too much to drink and I disliked it. I would have to talk to Amy later in the morning. After all, last week she lectured me about things I did that she did not like; Maybe I could also share with her how much I did not like it when she was in a drunken state; And I cannot imagine what could have happened if I had let her go out in that dress she had worn at the beginning of the evening. That thought just repelled me. Suddenly I got an idea. I took another look at her, gently stroke her hair and got out of bed, being very careful not to wake her up. After a quick shower, I walked to the kitchen to have my breakfast. Today was cereals day; Amy could have hers anytime after she got up. Once I was finished, I went to check on Penny. She was peacefully asleep in her bed, wrapped in Leonard's sweater. I left her some more tablets on the nightstand and headed back to mine. I sat in front of my computer and started typing.

A couple of hours later, I heard the shower running, and a moment after, there she was, obviously quite embarrassed to face me. Without turning my head from the computer screen I said "Good morning Amy!"

"Oh, good morning Sheldon. Why did you not wake me up earlier? It is so late now…"

"After all the fun you had last night, I thought I might need to rest this morning."

"Oh. Thank you." she said, sitting on the couch.

"Amy, you're on my spot!" I said, once again without turning my head.

"Oh, sorry." I finally turned my head, staring at her, and she shifted to the other end of the couch. She was holding her hand over her head, stroking her hair. "Sheldon, why do you behave like you are mad at me? You were so nice to me last night."

"I am surprised you even remember anything from last night." I paused then resumed "Amy, do you realize how worried I was yesterday night?"

"Please Sheldon, don't be like that. I was not nearly as drunk as Penny and Bernadette. But it is just, I really needed to loosen up; I had had a tough week, and I had so many things to share with my friends, I just did not realize how much alcohol I had been drinking. But as soon as I received your message, I stopped, I swear."

I got up and sat on the couch, on my spot "alright, I believe you. But Amy, I really don't like it when you are drunk. Especially when you are out without me and I don't know where you are."

"I'm sorry about that Sheldon. And thanks for taking care of me. That was really nice of you."

"Apologies accepted, and you are welcome. Now, does your head hurt?"

"No, I am fine, thank you. Just a little dizzy."

"Are you hungry?" I asked as I got up and walked towards the kitchen.

"Actually I am." She followed me and stopped by the counter.

"Today is cereals day. Come and choose which ones you want. And before eating, take this" and I handed her the tablets. She grabbed it, chose a box of cereals and sat down at the counter. I then grabbed a bowl, a spoon and the bottle of milk and placed it in front of her. And I sat down to face her. "Amy, I have a proposition to make."

"I am listening." She said, while pouring milk on her bowl of cereals.

"Amy, I have an idea that will help us deal with such situations."

"Go on" she said, obviously intrigued.

"For the few past weeks, we have been 'experimenting'. And I was the one who proposed to put the relationship agreement on hold for some time. I propose now that we restore the relationship agreement."

She raised her head up to stare at me, obviously not impressed "You want to go back to the relationship agreement?"

"Yes"

"I don't understand Sheldon, does it mean that you want to go back to where we were before the experiment?" She sounded worried.

"No Amy, you don't get it. I simply propose to update the relationship agreement, incorporating the changes that occurred lately."

She looked a bit relieved though still reluctant "Hmmm Can I ask why?"

I looked at her straight in the eyes "Amy, as much as I don't regret what happened in these past weeks, there are things that I am not comfortable with. Like what happened yesterday night or the whole situation with Brian. I need to define the rules. I need to go back to the relationship agreement. It was a binding covenant that described our rights and duties as boyfriend and girlfriend. I think it is necessary. At least, it is for me…"

"I understand but I enjoyed it that we could just let things happen and see…"

"I can add a clause about the experiment. We can update that clause regularly each time there is something new. It would be like an exception. All I want is to establish rules, limits, for some situations. I need to go back to my comfort zone a little. Do you understand?"

"I think I do." She paused then asked me "Sheldon, it is too much too fast for you, isn't it?"

"Actually, it is more that I don't feel I have any control, and it scares me. "

"Alright then. But I have a condition."

"Yes?"

She smiled at me "We write it together."

"Don't you trust me, Amy?" I frowned.

"I do but I want to be part of it. It is our relationship, it is only fair that we write the relationship agreement together."

"Alright. But I have already started this morning, while you were sleeping."

"Wow, you are fast. Can I have a look?"

"Sure, as soon as you are finished with your breakfast, we can start perusing it together." I shifted a little on my seat "Now if you'll excuse me for a minute, I will go and check on your drinking pal Penny. She was in a far worse state than you yesterday. I think she will have a very strong hangover this morning. I'll be back soon." I got up, kissed her on the temple and went to 4B.

**A/N: I am sorry if for the most part this chapter details what I had already wrote at the end of the previous one, but I wanted to have it told through Sheldon's POV. Also, it was getting a little too much out of control for poor Sheldon, he needs rules. Next chapter will be the writing of the new Relationship Agreement, through Amy's POV, among other things. Stay tuned!**


	33. The Binding Covenant Reinitialization

"Sheldon Lee Cooper, there is no way for me to sign a document that includes a "Girlfriend's recommended Clothing and Makeup" clause in it." I shouted as soon as the door of the apartment opened, my eyes still staring at the sheets of paper I was holding.

_Sheldon had been away for over ten minutes when I finished eating my breakfast. I washed up my bowl and spoon, then decided to start reading the printed copy of the Relationship Agreement that he had left on his desk. I sat down on the couch and started reading. Section 11 caught my eye and made me really mad._

I turned my head towards the door in order to look at him directly in the eyes. I wanted him to realize how angry I was that he would even consider adding such a section to the existing Relationship Agreement. Unfortunately, Sheldon was not the only one who heard my complaint; Penny was standing right next to him by the door.

"No kidding! Is it the Relationship Agreement?" She was pointing at the pages I was holding in my hands. I nodded "What is that clause about?" she asked while rushing to the couch and sitting next to me. She had a quick look at the page then went on "Is this what I think? Does it really define a maximum length for Amy's skirts and dresses? Shelly, naughty boy!" she gave him a teasing glance.

Sheldon, who was still standing by the door, frowned at Penny, clearly unhappy, but she went on "And what else, Shelly? Do you also specify your favorite fabric for Amy's clothes: is it silk? Leather maybe?" She laughed, trying to take the document from me but I did not let her. Instead, I put it back in its folder and kept it firmly in my hands.

I was annoyed at Penny sticking her nose in our business but it was nothing compared to Sheldon. "No Penny, it defines a minimum length for Amy's skirts and dresses when she goes out, especially when I am not there." He looked puzzled "And why would I choose what fabrics Amy can wear?"

"I don't know, there could be some material you'd like to see her wear, or that you might like to touch…." She said playfully.

"I don't see what you mean." He moved to stand on the other side of the couch, next to his spot. "Amy, can't we just talk about it after Penny leaves? It makes me very uncomfortable."

I stood up, turned towards him and handed him the folder. "Alright, but we will have lots of things to discuss." Then I leant a little closer to him and added in a whisper "But there are some additions I really like!" I lifted my eyes to meet his gaze; he was smiling shyly.

Penny snorted and, walking towards the kitchen, told us "And please guys tell me that you will add a section to limit these indecent and embarrassing glances of yours. You do it all the time and it makes me very uncomfortable."

We parted. I sat back on the couch, while Sheldon sat in front of his computer "I don't know what you are talking about, Bestie." I said nonchalantly. But of course I knew what she meant. These glances are the most intimate moments that I share with Sheldon. Even in a room full of people, one of these glances and it is like there is just the two of us on Earth. Before Sheldon began working on his issues, these were the only interactions that could comfort me from the lack of physical contacts. No one could take it away from me. And even now that things have changed a little, I still don't get tired of it.

Luckily, Penny did not insist "Yeah sure. Whatever. I don't want to discuss now, not with this hangover." She was rubbing her hand over her forehead. "And I am quite hungry actually." She took the box of cereals from above the fridge "What about you Ames? How do you feel this morning?" She asked me, taking a bowl from the cupboard and the bottle of milk from the fridge.

"I am fine, thank you. I don't think I drank as much as Bernadette and you, that's all. And Sheldon took good care of me when I got back." Sheldon turned towards me and we exchanged another knowing glance.

Penny grabbed her bowl of cereals and came to sit on the armchair. We talked a little about Leonard and the latest updates she got from him. She told us that he was really enjoying his time there and that he and his colleagues were on the verge of a breakthrough. She also gave us more details about her audition; she was rather optimistic that she might get picked for a second one, which she'd know for sure on Monday. She thanked Sheldon again for helping her and told him that she might ask for his help again in the coming weeks. He accepted. I did not say anything but I really hope that I can attend their next rehearsal session; Penny told me that Sheldon had been very impressive last week.

When she had just finished eating her breakfast, Penny said she had something to ask me.

"Amy, I talked to Bernadette and as you probably know, she is going to San Diego at the end of the week with the guys. She keeps insisting that she would like us to go there too. What do you think about it?" she asked.

Sheldon lifted his head up from his computer and turned around. He was obviously interested in my answer.

I replied "Well, Sheldon has already asked me … I don't know. I am so not into comic books or science fiction, I am scared of being bored…"

"Yeah, I know what you mean, I do feel the same. But Bernadette says that the hotel has a spa, and I thought that maybe the two of us could go to the beach or to the outlets during the day, and meet with the guys and Bernadette in the evening. What do you think? I am definitely not going if you are not going." Penny was looking at me with a smile. "So what do you say, Ames?"

I looked at her then at Sheldon who had not spoken yet "Well, it is very tempting. Sheldon, when are you all leaving?"

"On Wednesday around noon." He replied.

"Well, I cannot leave before Friday after work. Would it be okay for you Penny? We could leave together and meet them all there." I proposed.

"Perfect. I work the lunch shift on Friday anyways."

"Okay. But do you think there will be any room left in the guys' hotel?"

"No problem. Bernadette said she already booked a twin room for the two of us, at the same time as she booked her own room. "She paused, got up and then added "Okay guys, now I think I will go back to my place for a little nap. I am exhausted. Sheldon, thanks for everything. Ames, I will call you later so we can discuss about all the details." She walked towards the door and left.

Sheldon was still turned towards me. Smiling, I told him "So I guess I am going to San Diego next week end."

He smiled back shyly "Yes, it looks like you are." Then he turned back towards his computer. I was a bit puzzled by his reaction. I got up slowly and walked towards the fridge. "Sheldon, do you want something to drink?"

"Yes, I'd like some water, please." He got up as well, took his laptop with him and sat on his spot "Shall we talk about the Relationship Agreement now?" His tone was still very neutral.

"Sure" I said, heading back to the living room and sitting down next to him. "Sheldon, are you okay with me coming to San Diego? You don't sound thrilled. I can still say no to Penny and Bernadette."

He looked at me "Oh no I'm glad you are coming. I am the first one who invited you yesterday, remember?"

"So why do I have the feeling there is something wrong?"

"Oh, well I just thought that if you were to come, you would share a room with me, not with Penny." He said blushing again.

"Oh." I was totally taken aback by his answer. "Sheldon, are you really sure you are ready for that? I mean all of our friends will be there…"

"I don't know. Maybe. I had not thought about that." He looked embarrassed, obviously unsure about what he really wanted.

I came to his rescue "Alright, so let's talk about it some other time. Shall we start with the Agreement? "

"Sure. How do you want to proceed?" He asked.

"Maybe we can just proceed section by section, starting with Section 1?" I answered, grabbing the folder that Sheldon had just placed on the coffee table.

"Sure." We both sat against the back of the couch, I with the printed copy on my knees and Sheldon with his computer on his. "So let's start with Section 1: general purpose."

"I don't have anything to say about this one." I smiled "Except maybe that I was very impressed with some of the definitions you put there. Like this one, this one…" I showed it to him onscreen "Where did you get it from?"

"Oh…" he was blushing again and lowered his eyes "I took it from a book I have had for quite some time." He looked back up again, on his computer, scrolling down the document "So let's go directly to Section 2: Boyfriend/Girlfriend activities."

"Alright. First, the date night subsection. So you propose that we add one date night every month. Counterproposal: I'd like date night to take place every Thursday night."

He looked at me "So from once a month to once a week?" I nodded "Amy, I don't know… you know I don't really like going out, dressing up,…"

I understood his point and had anticipated it, so I came up with an idea to compromise "But maybe we could define date night differently. Like, twice a month, it could be 'date night out' with either of us deciding in turn on where he or she wants to go. And the other two or three times, we could make it 'stay in date night'. Maybe once or twice at mine and I would cook for you, and once at yours, and either you would cook for me, or order takeaway food, it is up to you. What do you think about it?"

He thought for a minute "So it would only be twice a month going out, to a restaurant or whatever either of us decides like a museum, a train shop, the cinema…?"

"Well, I'd rather go to a restaurant than a train shop to be honest with you, but I guess the answer is yes." I kept the word 'compromise' in my mind "And date nights at home could end with us either watching a DVD, or playing a video game, or singing together" I paused for a few seconds "or playing Dungeons and Dragons…."

I checked for his reaction at my last proposition. He looked at me with a grin. "That would be… nice." There it was; one of these glances Penny had been talking about earlier. After a few seconds, he looked back towards his screen and started typing "Give me a few seconds to write all that down."

I went on "For the rest of this section, I agree for the group's evenings' activities and the girlfriend/boyfriend's weekend's activities. Also, I have to say that I like it that you added Valentine's Day and Halloween in the Special Events section, along with our anniversary and both our birthdays. And I quite agree with all you wrote in these subsections."

"Good. Here we are, the Date Night Clause is changed. If you want to have a look…"

"Yes sure…" I leant towards him and read on his screen what he had just changed "That is fine. So now there is something else I would like to add to this section…"

"Yes…?" he said, looking at me inquiringly.

"I would like to add a clause stating that either of us would have to accompany the other one to a conference maybe once every two months at least?" He was looking surprised so I explained "I would like you to come to biology conferences with me from time to time, and we would keep going to physics conferences as we have been regularly doing since we met each other."

"Fine, but I propose that we do that monthly for physics conferences and every two months for biology conferences?" He said casually.

"Yes sure…. Because physics is so much more important than biology?"

"Yes! I knew that someday you'd realize it!" He obviously did not get the sarcasm, once again.

"Sheldon, no way, it is either every month for both, or every two months for both, but no difference between physics and biology."

He sighed "Fine. Every two months then. Let me write it down." It took a few seconds for him to type it "Okay, so now Section 3: Girlfriend/Boyfriend Communication."

"I have nothing to add for that section as well as for Section 4 Booboos and Ouchies, and I am glad with the changes in Section 5: Handholding: 'Handholding is allowed at any moment provided that both parties agree about it." He nodded "So the next section I would like to talk about is Section 6: Cuddling: 'Cuddling is allowed either during date nights or when either of the parties is in need of comfort or support, but only at either party's apartment and when no third party is present.' Isn't it a little restrictive?"

He looked at me "I would not be comfortable cuddling outside of our apartments, or if there were someone else in the room. It is very intimate, Amy. And it is the same for Section 8 Spooning of course"

He looked quite sincere about it, so I decided to agree to his terms on these ones."You are right, let's keep it that way. Let's go to Section 7: Hugging."

"What about it?" he asked.

"I would like you not to restrict hugging to our apartments. And I would like to be able to do it in public from time to time."

"Amy, once again, it is very intimate and…"

"I interrupted him "Sheldon, friends hug each other all the time, that is definitely not as intimate as cuddling, kissing or spooning. You even hugged Penny twice in the past, she told me so."

"You have a point Amy. Alright, I change it." He said while typing.

I took a deep breath "Section 9 kisses". And I paused, waiting for him to be ready to focus on it.

"Do you agree with this Section?"

"I do. Mostly."

"Mostly?" he asked.

"Well, I agree with you for the kisses on the lips, and the French kisses. But I find it a little restrictive for the kisses on the cheek; can't we allow it to happen in front of our friends? And maybe occasionally pecks on the lips as well, like yesterday night?" I looked at him carefully.

I could feel his discomfort "Once again, it is very intimate. I would feel more comfortable if we kept it for ourselves…"

"So maybe we can limit pecks in public to 5 times a week?" I proposed.

"Once a week."

"Twice for each of us, either on the lips or the cheek."

"Alright." He resumed typing. "Done. Section 10 is…." He paused, looked at me, blushing, then resumed reading "Any other intimate moment up to and including coitus."

I smiled "Yep. Sheldon, in this section, you refer to a book that you propose we use to determine the different steps. What is that book?"

"The same book from which I got the definitions. It is a book that Penny and Leonard gave me a few years ago. It is quite explicit on what … well on how… well you understand what I mean."

"Could I have access to that book?" Penny had already mentioned that book. I so wanted to have a private reading with Sheldon.

"Sure. Can we keep this section as is for now and look at the book after we are finished with all the other sections?" That sounded like an invitation for a private reading…

"Okay." For some reason, I was as hesitant as him at that moment. But my mood changed immediately as I read the title of the next section. "Which brings us to 'Section 11: Girlfriend's recommended Clothing and Makeup'… Sheldon, I don't want that clause in the Relationship Agreement. It is as simple as that. No compromise here."

"Why? You agreed that what you were wearing yesterday was too short and showing too much skin to go out."

"No I did not." I frowned.

"Yes you did; you changed clothes." He smirked.

"No I so did not. I changed simply to make you feel more comfortable after all the efforts you had made for me. It was a compromise. But I was very satisfied with my outfit and makeup."

"But Amy, as your boyfriend, I don't want you to go out dressed like that."

"Sheldon, there was absolutely nothing wrong with my outfit yesterday. And I am finally getting more and more comfortable wearing dresses like that one. So please, remove that section from the agreement. It is important for me" I did not want to give in, but was willing to make an effort to ease his fears. So I added "But in case you have something to say about the way I am dressed, I promise that we can always talk about it. I just don't want to see anything like that written in a contract."

"Alright, if you insist." He said reluctantly. "Clause removed".

"So now the Personal Hygiene clause. I know it was already in the previous issue of the Relationship Agreement but I would like you to remove it as well. It is offensive that after we have known each other for over three years, you are still questioning my hygiene."

"Alright then, you are right. I am very satisfied with your hygiene habits."

"Thank you!" I said sarcastically.

"You are welcome. So the new Section 11 is Third parties."

I read it all out loud:

"Section 11: Third parties.

a) Either party is forbidden to give details about the relationship to a third party, except if it has been previously agreed by the other party.

b) Either party has to introduce the other party to any third party of the other sex that is likely to spend time with him or her.

c) Either party is not allowed to touch inappropriately or kiss any unrelated third party of the other sex.

d) In case a third party has an inappropriate attitude towards either party, that party has to inform the other party immediately.

Any breach of this clause would lead to an immediate termination of the present contract."

Sheldon should have called that section 'the Penny and Brian clause!' But I had nothing to add to this section so I agreed to keep this section as was, as well as Section 12 Family and 13 Trips.

I went on "But the next one…."

He interrupted me "Section 14: Alcohol consumption."

"Yes…. That one." I got up at that moment and proposed to prepare some tea for the two of us. I needed a break, as I knew that the four-five remaining sections would require lots of negotiating.

When I came back with both our mugs, Sheldon resumed reading. "So when the two parties are apart, neither party is allowed to drink…."

I interrupted him immediately "Sheldon, I don't want that section either. I don't want you to control any minute of my life. I don't want you to tell me how much alcohol I am allowed to drink, or how I should behave."

He frowned "But Amy, do you realize how worried I was yesterday night?"

"I realize it, and I am sorry. But you cannot control every moment of my life. If I want to go out and drink with the girls, I will. Period." I raised my voice a little for the last sentence, as I really wanted him to listen to me.

"Amy, can I ask you one thing?" I nodded "Why do you feel the need to be drunk like you were yesterday?" he asked genuinely.

"I do not get drunk on purpose, Sheldon. But I simply like loosening up from time to time, having fun with the girls and drinking with them."

"I don't understand. I mean, I have been drunk before, three times because of your best friend Penny as a matter of fact, and I felt terrible afterwards. You are a very intelligent person Amy. Why do you just keep drinking if you know it will make you lose control? As a child, I grew up with a father addicted to alcohol and I know what effect it can have on people."

I had forgotten that alcohol probably played a big part in Sheldon's family issues when he was a kid. I turned towards him and tried to speak as gently as possible "Sheldon, I am not addicted to alcohol. But I like the fact that when I drink alcohol, I do not overthink as much as usual, so I can simply have fun and relax with my friends." I paused a few seconds "You more than anyone should know what it feels like to always be reasonable, to always be the smart one, to always feel different. Alcohol helps me disconnect from time to time. And it makes me feel normal. I like it."

"I guess I see what you mean….but do you realize that it makes you vulnerable? Do you realize that the three of you losing control like you did yesterday without anyone knowing where you were was irresponsible? " he truly looked concerned.

"I know. But I don't want that section. Please Sheldon."

"Well I guess I could consider not including it. But only if when you decide to loosen up, you keep in touch with me and you let me know where you are. I was so scared yesterday night."

I thought about it for a moment "I guess that is fair. Let's add something in the communication section maybe?"

"Alright." He typed it done.

I took a sip of my tea. I was kind of glad that he accepted to remove that section as well. Though, I was not entirely glad that he would keep some kind of control over where I'd be at any time, but I can understand that he needs to keep some control on what he thinks is his. And apparently I am his. Like he is mine.

"Alright, section 14 becomes Hippy Dippy Couple Nonsense."

"Sheldon, that title? Really?"

"Well yes, would you prefer Miscellany?" he asked.

"Actually I think I would."

"Alright. Section 14 Miscellany. Part 1: Neither party is allowed to use a nickname for the other party, especially in public, even under the influence of alcohol."

" Sheldon, what is it about? Neither of us ever used any nicknames…."

He turned his head and looked at me in the eyes "Are you sure about it?"

"Actually ye….. oh I see…. I may have called you Cuddles a couple of times in the past."

"Yes, more than a couple of times. And Sexy Praying Mantis, and Sexy Toddler too."

"Oh yes. Ouch! But don't you like the idea of nicknames?"

"NO!" he said flatly.

"But what if we someday find for each other a nice nickname that the two of us like, aren't we allowed to use it, even in private?"

"I don't like nicknames."

I smirked "Really? Doesn't your grandmother, whom you call Meemaw, call you Moonpie?"

"It is different."

"Alright, but your whole family or even Penny call you Shelly, right?" I did not want to give up.

"Penny is not allowed to, but I see your point…."

"I am not saying I have a nickname for you, but someday, we may find nicknames for each other; I just want to keep the option open."

"Alright. What about 'Neither party is allowed to use a nickname for the other party especially in public, even under the influence of alcohol, except if the other party has agreed on the aforementioned nickname beforehand.'?"

"That's fine. Thank you. I am fine with the other topics of the Miscellany section, including presents. That is so sweet!" I smiled at him and I saw a smile on his face as well while still focusing on his screen. "Let's move on to the next section: Sleepovers"

"Do you agree on this section?"

"Mostly. Twice a week is great." I blushed a little "What about Thursdays after date night, at either of ours, depending where date night took place, and the following Sunday at the other's?"

"Fine."

"Alright, and for the last three Sections 'Official appearances as a couple', 'Special situations' and 'Further advancements' I am okay with everything in it. And I'd like to propose a few recipes for approbation so that it can be included in the Approved Homemade Cooking Appendix."

"Alright. I would like us to sign the Agreement before I leave to San Diego. What about seeing each other on Tuesday evening after dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in order to do so?"

I nodded "And maybe before signing we could have a look at that book? On Tuesday evening I mean." I added.

"Alright." He said, while switching off his computer.

"Sheldon, I am exhausted, do you think that we could just have a little nap now?"

"Sure" he placed his computer on the coffee table, grabbed a cushion, sat back and put it on his knees "Come here."He said, patting the cushion. I obeyed and lied down on the couch. And I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the cushion.

**A/N: This chapter was a bit long, I hope it was not too long. I just thought it would be fun perusing the relationship agreement together with them. I hope you liked it.**


	34. The Shared Intimacy Analysis

**A/N: First of all thanks to everyone who reads and appreciates this story. And thanks so much for the nice reviews.**

The TV was on, but my attention was solely drawn to her, lying right there, her head on my legs. She had fallen asleep for quite some time now. She was laying on her left side, with her back to me. When she had shifted to that position, she had inadvertently placed her hand on my knee and it was still and it was still there. At first, I wanted to move it, but for some reason I did not. And now the sensation was not bothering me anymore; I was getting used to it, like I was gradually getting used to all the touching that Amy and I had been initiating in the past couple of months. Who would have thought I would have grown to appreciate all that? Certainly not me. Not before her.

Last year, I told Amy how I felt about her addition to my life. Even though I made it clear that I was quoting Spiderman, I think she understood that these words could have been mine. "When I look in your eyes, and you're looking back in mine, everything feels not quite normal, because I feel stronger, and weaker at the same time. I feel excited, and at the same time, terrified. The truth is I don't know what I feel, except I know what kind of man I want to be." But when I quoted it, I did not say the last part of the Spiderman quote "It's as if I've reached the unreachable, and I weren't ready for it." That is because at the time, I was not sure I would ever be ready to reach the unreachable. So for over a year, I have been working on it. And now I am closer than ever to the unreachable.

I cannot say that I regret how things have been evolving. After all, what is going on right now in my life is nothing more than what a French Biologist named Claude Bernard called homeostasis: the ability of a system to regulate its internal parameters in order to adapt to external perturbations. The external perturbation is Amy and the way she makes me feel. All I need to do is remain within a comfort zone and slowly adapt to what is going on around me. My comfort zone is science, my life at Caltech, my circle of friends, the rules I live by. I can do it, I can make it work. Because even though I had never thought that would happen to me, I am very lucky to have found Amy. She is the one that changed everything. And yet, she has done nothing for that.

Amy sure knows she has power over me, and yet she does not use it to her advantage. "With great power, comes great responsibility", another great Spiderman quote. Well, the thing is I could not have found a more responsible girlfriend. She knows that I am reluctant to change, and that I need time to adjust. And when I told her earlier today that I needed to go back to my comfort zone, and reestablish the relationship agreement, she understood me and accepted it. And her idea was the most brilliant idea ever; I loved writing the new update with her. I loved hearing what she thought about our relationship. Of course, I did not like removing some sections that would have made me feel better about the whole thing, but I guess there is no point in all that if she cannot remain in her comfort zone as well.

There was a clause that I included in the Relationship Agreement and that left me a little outside my comfort zone: Section 10: 'Any other intimate moment up to and including coitus'. I had added it for her, in order to prove to her that I was working on my issues. But I didn't know how to deal with it really. When writing that section down, I had re opened the infernal book that Penny and Leonard gave me a couple of years ago and followed the different steps described in it. But I knew I was not ready for any of that. I was not even ready to look through the book with Amy. I was very nervous about it. Maybe I should not have included that section. And yet when she had seen it, she had said that she loved the idea. I felt terrified about it all. Maybe I should simply tell her how I feel? Maybe she would understand? After all, we had decided to be honest with each other and to communicate about everything. But I did not want to disappoint her. She had accepted so much from me already.

I could have stayed with her like that forever, but I had to find a way to get out of that couch now; I had to call my mother in a few minutes and I could not be late. I slowly started stroking her hair. Gosh, her hair was so smooth under my fingers. It did not wake her up, so I placed the back of my hand on her cheek and gently caressed it. She started moving a little, first she moaned , then her hand lost grip of my knee and she turned back towards me, stretching her limbs. And finally she opened her eyes.

"Hey Sheldon!" she simply said, smiling. Gosh, that smile of hers!

"Hey Amy. I am sorry I had to wake you up like this."

"Oh, that's alright. That's the best way to wake up. And anyways I feel really well rested." she said, sitting up straight. "What time is it now?"

"Almost 5pm. I have to go and call my mother. I'm sorry."

"That's fine Sheldon. 5pm already? And we did not have lunch actually." She thought for a minute as I got up "While you are on the phone, I will go out and buy food. Do you mind if I invite Penny over for dinner?" She asked as she was putting her shoes back on.

"Well, of course not." I grabbed the phone "I really have to go call Mom now. Take the spare key, it is in the box by the door." I said as I was starting to dial my mother's number.

"See you later Sheldon. Say Hi to Mary for me." She smiled, grabbed her bag, the spare key and left.

I had spoken to my mother and to Missy a few times during the week; we were all anxious about Meemaw's reaction after talking to Amy last week end. I already knew that she had seen the psychoanalyst and that everything went well. Mom also confirmed that Meemaw was carefully following the doctor's prescription now and it showed in her mood. She had also decided to resume some of her favorite activities. And she had been working hard with both the speech therapist and the physio. It had been a long time since I had heard my mother so chatty and cheerful. At least since Meemaw's stroke. So I decided to let her talk, even if I did not care about what she said. It felt nice to hear her talk like that; it meant she was also doing better. As Mom started talking about her Church, I received a text message from Amy.

**"Sheldon, I am at the store now. Penny just received a message from Raj, he is not doing well. What do you mind if I invite him for dinner as well tonight?"**

I would have preferred to spend the evening just the two of us, but as Penny was already going to spend the evening with us, I did not mind that much about Raj coming too.

I replied** "No, tell Raj to come as well."**

After she was over with all the news about Dr Patel, Mrs Morris and all of the people of her congregation, Mom asked me about Amy, and how things were going between us. I told her that Amy had been away for the whole week and that I had missed her but that we had spent a very nice weekend together. Then again my phone vibrated.

**"Anything special you want to eat?"**

I simply replied** "I trust you, you know the things I like."**

**"Alright. See you soon."**

As I had just hung up with Mom, I heard the door open and then muffled women voices coming from the living room; Amy and Penny were back from the store. I then called Meemaw. Mom was right, Meemaw's speech was much better, and the tone of her voice was quite cheerful as well. I was enjoying talking to her; it was a bit like before the stroke, it was as if my Meemaw were back, finally. Meemaw told me about her week, about all of her appointments and her visit to her friends at the Seniors' center. She had also resumed knitting and promised that she would do something for me, but wanted to knit a jersey for Amy first. She asked me about Amy's favorite color and I told her I thought it was green but I was not sure. I asked her if she would like to talk to Amy directly, as she was around; I could put her on the phone for her. Meemaw said that she wanted the jersey to remain a surprise, but that she would definitely like to talk to Amy. I asked Meemaw to wait for a minute. As I walked to the kitchen, Amy and Penny were there, chatting, laughing and preparing dinner together.

They stopped talking when they saw me "Sorry to interrupt, but Amy, Meemaw is on the phone. She would like to talk to you." I handed her the phone.

"Oh, sure." She cleaned her hands and grabbed the phone "Can I go to your bedroom?"

"Of course." Amy walked towards the bedroom, leaving me alone with Penny. "So, Penny, anything I can do to help you with this?"

"Oh, sure Sweetie. We are making a Shepherd's pie. I am chopping carrots and onions. Amy was peeling the potatoes, maybe you can take over?"

"Alright." I washed my hands over the sink and began peeling.

The two of us were working in silence until Penny broke it. "Sweetie, I told Leonard about you and Amy. I was surprised that you did not tell him directly. Actually, he said that the two of you haven't really talked for quite some time."

I kept my eyes on the potatoes I was peeling and simply said "I did not know what to tell him. And I was not sure he cared."

"Of course he cares about you Sheldon, you are his best friend." She paused for a second. "Sheldon, I may not be the right person to talk to because, well, Amy is my best friend, but you can always call Leonard is there are things you want to talk about."

"There is nothing I need to talk about. Everything is doing just fine with Amy. And Amy and I have decided to talk about everything; it does make things easier and puts less pressure on our relationship." I looked at her. "Trust me Penny, everything is fine. But thanks for caring, and being there for Amy." I was sincere. I knew Penny genuinely appreciated Amy.

"The two of you, you look so cute together. And it is like I have never seen either of you that happy. I am glad for you, Sheldon." She stopped what she was doing and looked at me in the eyes "And thanks for making my friend so happy. She deserves it." She smiled sweetly.

"You don't have to thank me. She is my girlfriend; it is my job to make her happy." I went on peeling the potatoes. "Please tell Leonard I will call him this week."

I had peeled every potato and was cutting it in quarter when my phone vibrated.

**"Sheldon, I hung up with Meemaw. Could you come please?"**

I told Penny I'd be back in a minute and rushed to my bedroom. Amy was sitting on my bed, with a book in her hands. The book.

"Sheldon, is this the book you talked about? The one Leonard and Penny gave you?"

"Yes." I said shyly.

"Wow, it is quite explicit."

"I know." I sat down next to her "If you don't want to, we don't have to use it." I did not dare looking at her in the eyes, nor in the direction of the book.

"No, no, that is fine. I guess." She looked at me and I could read doubt in her eyes "Did you define all the different steps based on it?"

"Yes. But if you have suggestions to make, we can talk about it." I could feel that my face was blushing. I had probably never felt so unsure of myself in my entire life.

"Sheldon, are you sure you want to include all this in the Relationship Agreement? I mean, are you sure you are ready? I have the feeling you added it because of me and to be honest with you, I am not sure I am ready."

I was confused "But earlier today, you said you liked that I added that section…."

She closed her eyes for a second and sighed "I know. What I meant was that I liked the fact that it was now officially in the realm of the possibility, and included in the Relationship Agreement. To me, it meant you were really considering it. But detailing that section makes it too tangible, too soon…"

I was so glad with all she just said. "So…What do you suggest?"

"Can't we leave the section empty for now and update it once we have started experimenting and we feel comfortable with it? I have the feeling that if we add all the steps at once, we will feel some unnecessary pressure. And things have been going so well so far." She went on "Maybe we could look at the book together when we think we are ready to move on to the next step. And then put it into action. What do you think?"

Relief washed over me "Amy Farrah Fowler, I could not agree more with your idea." I grinned. She really did know me well. And I was glad to know that she was as unsure as me about it all. It definitely released some pressure that had been building since earlier today.

She put her hand on mine. "It's going to be alright, Sheldon. We can also decide to maintain the status quo on the relationship for some time. I love the new intimacy we are sharing right now, by cuddling, hugging, kissing, holding hands, sharing a bed. I am just getting used to it. I don't want to risk losing it all by rushing things. What do you think?"

"I feel the same. I find that sharing all that with you is very pleasurable and if I have to be truly sincere with you, I am in no rush to move forward." I read in her eyes that she was not mad at me, on the contrary. She smiled.

"We really don't have to Sheldon." And she kissed me on the cheek. Then she got up and faced me "Alright, let's go back to the kitchen and help Penny. I have a pie to prepare." I got up too and walked back to the kitchen with my hand in hers.

In the meantime, Rajesh had arrived and was in the kitchen with Penny, helping her with the pie. He did not look very well and was telling Penny what happened with Lucy as we got in. We both said hello to him, and Amy apologized to the two of them for leaving them with the dinner to prepare. She told them she would take over from there and that they could keep talking quietly in the living room. I prepared drinks for them and went back to the kitchen to help Amy with the salad. One hour later, Penny and Rajesh were laughing in the living room when Amy said that the dinner was ready.

The dinner was very pleasurable. Everybody complimented Amy on her cooking skills. It was truly delicious. And I loved it that she had chosen to cook something from the Relationship Agreement's Approved Homemade Cooking Appendix. After dinner, we decided to play a videogame. Amy was quite reluctant at first, explaining that she did not like playing videogames, but I reminded her how much fun our Super Mario session had been weeks ago and she accepted to give it another try. This time, we decided to play Mario Kart. It was definitely not my favorite game as I cannot drive, but Amy insisted that it would be easier for her to play a game involving something she likes doing; and the thing is that she likes driving more than killing monsters. We played in teams, Rajesh and Penny vs Amy and I. As expected, despite Amy's help, I did not win one single race. Amy on the other hand beat both Penny and Rajesh at least once each. Penny and Rajesh made fun of me but I did not care about it; Amy seemed to enjoy the evening, and so did I, despite the defeat. After the game was over, I proposed tea to everyone, but both Penny and Raj declined, saying they had to go home. When they left, Amy prepared tea for the two of us. We sat together on the couch and started chatting.

"So Amy, you did not tell me, what did you and Meemaw talked about?"

"Well, she had a few questions about her recovery process. She was just a bit worried about a few things she was afraid she would not be able to do again, and I told her what I knew and gave her a few tips."

"How did she sound to you?" I had to ask her. I knew she would tell me the truth.

"She sounded much better. And in a good mood. And quite chatty. I think she is on the right track Sheldon." She searched for my eyes when saying so.

I was so relieved to hear her say so "I am so glad. Thanks Amy." And I bent to kiss her. On the forehead first, then as she raised her head up to me, I kissed her on the cheek, and then on the lips. And before I realized it, my tongue was inside her mouth and both our hands were intertwined with each other's. We kept on kissing gently; the more I kissed her, I more I wanted to kiss her. But after a moment, I pulled away slowly, out of breath. I kept my forehead on hers for a moment.

She broke the silence. "Let's go to sleep now, we'll have to get up early tomorrow. Do you mind if I use the bathroom first?" she asked as she got up.

"Of course not, go ahead, I am coming." I sat on the edge of the couch, pretending to gather our mugs. I simply needed a moment to pull myself together before getting up.

I had just finished washing up when Amy got out of the bathroom.

Minutes later, when I entered the bedroom in my pajamas, Amy was already in bed, waiting for me. I switched off the light and slipped under the covers. I turned on my side to face her. The curtains were not fully closed so the room was not in total darkness. We were both lying on our sides with our heads resting on our elbows, our faces only a few inches away, looking into each other's eyes. She put her hand close to me and I grabbed it gently. We remained like that for quite some time.

"Sheldon?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can."

"Does it physically hurt you when we touch each other?"

I took a deep breath. I did not expect that question. I tried to reply calmly. "It does not hurt. Not when it is you. At first, it felt odd, because I was not used to being touched, but now I am used to it and I like it."

"And does it hurt you when someone else touches you, or you touch them?"

"It does not really hurt per se, but I can feel some numbness in my limbs and my muscles get tight. It feels highly uncomfortable. And I cannot help fearing about germs. With most people. Not with you either. It has always been extremely difficult for me to touch anyone, or being touched. For the touching itself, for the exchange of germs, and for what it could mean. But not with you. For some reason. When I touch you, any kind of contact, it is very pleasurable." The atmosphere in the room was very intimate. I enjoyed sharing that with her.

She kept on "When we hold each other's hand like this, what do you feel?"

"It feels good. I enjoy holding your hand, your skin is so soft. I especially enjoy it when you have your fingers intertwined with mine, like this. It is as if you and I were one. I feel stronger." Surprisingly I managed to express exactly what I was feeling.

"So why did you tell me once that you hated it?" She asked genuinely.

"It was not so much that I did not like holding your hand, because I did. It was just I knew that if we started holding hands on a regular basis, and I told you that I liked that, it would lead to other things, and I was not sure I was ready for that."

She started to play with my hand, her eyes fixed on it and said in a lower voice "When you hold my hand, I feel good. It tells me that you care about me and it is very reassuring. And when we hold each other's hand in public, it is as if were telling the others that it is you and me vs everyone else. The Shamy vs the World, as Penny would say."

Her answer aroused my curiosity "What about all other physical contacts we have already experimented? What do you feel during each of those?" I was feeling strangely comfortable asking her those questions.

"When we cuddle, I feel protected because when you hold me in your arms, I feel I'm home; it is so comfortable. I like it even more when my head is close enough to your heart so I can hear it beating."

I decided to jump in and give my opinion as well "When we first cuddled, it felt awkward. But now, I feel more relaxed when you are in my arms. And when you fall asleep when we cuddle, I like to believe that it means you feel comfortable in my arms and I love it."

She smiled and sighed "When we hug, I can feel your strength. And yet it is always so gentle. It makes me feel that you care for me."

"When we hug, it is like you give me some of your energy, and I feel stronger. I especially like placing my head in your neck, so I can smell your hair; and then it is like I have your smell with me for the rest of the day or the evening." I was glad that it was dark enough so she would not see me blush.

She went on "When we are in bed and we spoon, it is just so warm. I love the contact of your chest on my back, and our legs intertwined together. And I love it when your hands cup my breasts. Spooning with you makes me feel some level of physical intimacy I never thought I could share with anyone."

I replied "I know what you mean, I also love it. It is so intimate. I also love the passion we share when we kiss. I thought the exchange of saliva would be the most difficult thing to overcome for me, and surprisingly it was not difficult at all. And once we start it, I never want to stop."

"I like it when it is passionate, but I also like it when it is tenderer, like tonight. I feel desired when you kiss me like that."

"And you are." I was the one playing with her hand now. I paused "Amy, I don't want you to think that I have to progress at a slow pace because I am not attracted to you. It is just, I had never considered all that in my life. It is already quite overwhelming as it is and I am not sure how to proceed. And I need to have control. That is how I am and I cannot change that."

"I know that Sheldon. And I am glad that we could have this conversation tonight. Actually, I am glad we could have all the discussions we had today; each time, it helps me understand you better." She leant closer to my ear and whispered "I love you Sheldon Cooper." And she caressed my hand with her thumb. "Sleep well." And she moved to her sleeping position, with her hand still on mine.

"I love you too Amy Farrah Fowler. Sweet dreams." I lied down and I closed my eyes, feeling something I had never experienced before: I felt in perfect harmony with another human being.

**A/N: Alright, I am sorry if the story is going slow: four chapters to cover one week end when the whole story is supposed to cover four months, I know… But I thought it was important to describe a few domestic moments to show the evolution of their relationship since the beginning. And I wanted them to share intimacy; not physical intimacy, but emotional intimacy, induced by discussions and mutual understanding. **

**Next chapter will probably take place in San Diego, during Comic Con. **

**Once again, please do not hesitate to post reviews: I love them; it is such a nice boost to my ego ;-)**


	35. Th Unexpected Misunderstanding Conundrum

As I was driving to work on Monday morning, I was in the best mood ever; this weekend, Sheldon and I had been able to communicate with each other with ease and honesty about how we both felt about the relationship and its progress, and it had definitely brought us closer. People sometimes seem to think that Sheldon is a heartless robot unable to feel, but I know better than that: I know the real Sheldon, the one that is sensitive, considerate and caring. The one I love and that loves me back.

After waking up facing each other and having breakfast together, we both left for work reluctantly, unwilling to part. But the elation of the weekend started to fade gradually as I was getting closer to UCLA; I could not postpone anymore the moment I would have to talk to Brian. Last week, the atmosphere had been quite tense between us after what happened and I knew we could not keep working together efficiently in these conditions. Moreover, I did not know what impact meeting Sheldon on Friday night had had on him. Brian was someone whose qualities I admired and whose professionalism I respected. We were getting along quite well professionally and I truly hoped we could remain friends. Though, it was the first time ever that I was confronted to such an odd situation and I was unsure how to deal with it.

The traffic was less dense than usual, so I arrived at work early. I decided to go directly to the conference room where we were having our weekly progress meeting every Monday morning. I was already half way inside the room when I realized that I was not the only one who had decided to get there early; Brian was sitting at a table, typing on his laptop. I stopped for a second, pulled myself together and walked towards him; this was after all a good opportunity to try to clear up the awkwardness between us. I put my bag on the table next to him and took a deep breath before saying in the most cheerful voice possible "Good morning Brian. How are you?"

He raised his head up and looked at me obviously surprised to see me there "Oh good morning Amy, I am fine thank you. How are you?"

"I am fine thanks." I sat down next to him hesitantly.

As I did so, he got up and said "It looks like we both are a little early for the meeting. I have to go and get something in my office; I will be back before it starts."

I knew from his shifty eyes that he was lying and that he was only trying to get away from me. As a reflex, I placed my hand on his arm and said "Please Brian, don't leave. I really think we should talk."

He glanced at my hand and frowned slightly. As I let go of his arm, he lifted his head to look at me in the eyes; I could tell that he was unsure what to do next. The two of us stayed like that for a moment until I insisted "Please Brian, sit down."

He sat back slowly and after clearing his voice began speaking "I am afraid there is not much to say Amy. I have made a fool of myself and I already apologized to you for my behavior."

"You did not make a fool of yourself. And I too am sorry if my behavior misled you."

He added "I am glad that I met your boyfriend on Friday actually; seeing the two of you together was an eye opener; by the way you looked at him, there is no doubt in my mind that you do love him."

"Yes I love Sheldon. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. And even if it hurt when I saw you together, at least things are clear now. I hope he knows what a lucky fellow he is." He said that last part almost in a whisper.

I wanted to add that I was also lucky to have Sheldon in my life, but I was not sure it would have been very wise in front of him "Brian, I would like to be sure that you are not mad at me and that we can still be in the same room without us both feeling awkward."

"Oh no I am not mad at you Amy. You had told me you had a boyfriend, I am the one who misunderstood the whole situation."

"There is definitely one thing that you did not misunderstand: I appreciated the moments that we shared together, both as friends and colleagues. What pains me really is that I have the feeling things have changed between us. Can't we somehow find a way to still be friends?"

He stared back at me "I would really like to be friends with you again eventually. Though I think I will need time to feel as comfortable around you as before. But I'll tell you something: for now, I promise not to avoid you like I have done last week; it was ridiculous and very unprofessional of me."

"So are we good?" I asked, looking at him anxiously.

"Yes we are good." He replied, smiling shyly.

All of a sudden, a voice coming broke the silence "Good morning you two" It was Kate who just got inside the room. "I hope you had a great weekend and managed to rest, because we have another very busy week ahead."

* * *

Kate was right, it was going to be a busy week; we had planned on meeting all of our candidates from California in the next two weeks. Just this week, we had to meet with thirty of them, including Raj on Tuesday. And Barry Kripke, Sheldon's colleague, was scheduled for the following week.

As expected, on Tuesday afternoon, Raj's interview went quite well; I was pretty sure he would be part of the study, his profile being exactly what we were looking for, and considering his history of selective mutism, there were obvious emotional issues that we could explore. We left UCLA together that afternoon and went to Sheldon's to pick him up for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Sheldon looked surprised to find the two of us talking, joking and smiling right there in front of him as he opened the door. He greeted Raj and almost immediately leant towards me to kiss me on the cheek then he took my hand to lead me inside. He was very excited to show me his Comic Con costumes that he had just finished ironing. Then he and Raj had a look at the makeup that he should take with him while I sat on the couch to watch tv. Once they were done, the three of us left for the Cheesecake Factory.

When we arrived, Bernadette and Howard were already there, waiting for us while browsing the official brochure of the convention. Howard sounded very excited to be able to go to Comic Con with his wife and he was telling her all the things they should go and see when there. Raj and Sheldon stepped in and gave their opinion on what Bernadette should not miss. The three guys sounded very enthusiastic about it all and Bernadette tried to fit in. I didn't understand half of what they were saying but I found their passion quite fascinating.

"Are you going to wear a costume as well Bernadette?" Penny asked her as she was bringing our dinner.

"Actually, I am. Howie convinced me; on Thursday, I will go there dressed as Princess Leia. You know, with the cinnamon buns hairstyle."

"Are you going to wear the metal bikini from The Return of the Jedi when she is Jabba the Hut's slave?" Raj asked smiling playfully. Howard was looking daggers at him.

"No, of course not, I will wear the white uniform she wears in Episode 4." Bernadette replied.

"And I will be her father Darth Vader on the first day." Howard said grinning "And then probably Chewbacca later in the weekend."

"And what about you Sheldon? Raj?" Penny asked, now pouring water in all of our glasses.

"I will be Mr Spock from Star Trek the original series, and also Mr Data from the new generation." Sheldon said.

"And I will be Captain America." Raj replied

"That is very ironic, my Indian friend" Howard added, faking an indian accent. Everyone laughed but Raj.

"Yeah, whatever… And I will also bring Leonard's Captain Jean-Luc Picard's costume, he said I could use it" Raj replied "And you girls, are you going to dress up?"

"No. Amy and I are just going for a couple of days, and we don't even have passes for the convention, we would look quite ridiculous being dressed up in the streets of San Diego."

"No you wouldn't. Many people are dressed up during these four days, in or out of the Convention Center." Sheldon stated.

"Well, no, thanks. I think we will be okay, won't we Amy?"

"Yes, I would not know how to dress up anyway." I replied.

Sheldon looked at me straight in the eyes and said "You could wear the Star Trek doctor uniform you wore once…" At that exact moment, he grabbed my hand discretely under the table and squeezed it softly.

I was not sure how to react. Was he just teasing me? I simply replied "No, I don't think so Sheldon. And like Penny said, we are not even going to the Convention, we don't have tickets. It would be pointless dressing up."

Sheldon kept on staring at me for a brief moment, biting his lower lip, then put his eyes on his plate while letting go of my hand and placing his back on the table.

* * *

After dinner, I followed Sheldon at his place to sign the new Relationship Agreement. We had both reviewed it and agreed on the update. But first we drank our now traditional Tuesday evening chamomile tea while sitting on the couch and talking about work. Sheldon informed me that Jane would be visiting him for a couple of days next week in order to show him the first results of her researches on dark matter in the gold mine in South Dakota. Then we talked about Raj and the possibility that he may be part of my panel. I also told him about Kripke being one of my potential candidates. Then we talked again about Comic Con as I helped him pack his bags.

"So do you go to Comic Con every year?"

"Yes, ever since I moved to California. Except once four years ago when I was in the North Pole."

"I noticed how Howard, Raj and you are excited when you talk about it. I don't understand: why do you like it so much?" I asked, truly intrigued.

"I don't know…. It is a place where I can find almost everything I like. For four days, I can go from room to room to discover comic books that have not yet been released and meet their authors; or watch series pilots that will not be shown on tv before September. There are also panels with my favorite actors and directors. There are collectables that can only be bought there. Also, I like dressing up, and playing role games, or new video games. And first and foremost I like the atmosphere. Even though it is crowded and obviously full of germs."

He looked very passionate about it. Surprisingly, he made me curious about the whole event "How big is it?"

"The Convention Center is a very big building, with 17 rooms, with capacities between several hundreds to 6500 people per room, plus a few halls in some hotels downtown. In total, there are over 150 000 people attending it every year. Passes sell out in less than two hours online."

"Really? Wow." I was impressed. I knew it was big, but I did not expect it to be that big.

Sheldon paused a minute and resumed talking "Amy, earlier tonight you said that you didn't have a pass. But you do. So if you really wanted to, you could get inside."

"No I don't have a pass Sheldon. And Penny says it is impossible to find any." I frowned.

"You do." He said slowly "When I bought my four day pass a few months ago, I bought one for you as well. I thought maybe you would accept to come with me."

"Oh I see." I was puzzled. I had no idea about it and did not know what to say.

He went on shyly "So if you decide that in the end you want to come, you can because you have a pass."

"I don't know Sheldon, you know I am not into all that, and anyways Penny does not have a pass. I promised her I would spend these two days with her."

"Sure, I understand." He looked a bit disappointed.

"But I will be in San Diego anyway, and in the same hotel, we will see each other." I tried to cheer him up.

"Well, anyways, in case you change your mind, I will bring all the details with me." He got up and grabbed two copies of the Relationship Agreement for me to sign. I took my copy with me and went back home.

* * *

The rest of the working week went uneventful. Except that Brian and I were now able to be in the same room again without feeling uncomfortable. We could even talk to each other, and smile from time to time. I felt better about the whole situation and I was sure things would go back to normal someday.

After Sheldon, Raj, Howard and Bernadette left for San Diego, Penny and I were the only two of the gang still in Pasadena; but because both of us were busy _ Penny with her acting classes, auditions and shifts at the Cheesecake Factory and I at work_ we did not see each other before I went to pick her up on Friday late afternoon. We both had received several messages, pictures and phone calls from Bernadette who seemed to enjoy herself, but was glad that the two of us were coming at the end of the week. She said that Comic Con was really something different, that it was like an incursion in a parallel universe. I had also received a text message from Sheldon on Wednesday telling me they had arrived and that he was thrilled to attend screenings in the evening; and then a couple of messages a day asking about my work and telling me roughly about his day: the panels he attended, the Comic Book writers he had met…

During the drive to San Diego, Penny confessed that it felt weird going to her first Comic Con without Leonard _ even if technically neither of us would actually attend the convention. She had talked to him on the phone the day before and he promised that next year they would go together. I told her that Sheldon had bought a pass for me this year and that he had asked me several times to go with him. Penny said that if I wanted to go, I could; I did not have to feel that I had to stay with her all the time. But I said I would rather spend my time shopping with her. And Sheldon probably asked me to go with him out of politeness and because of what social conventions dictate. Penny knew a couple of outlets in San Diego and was really eager to go there on Saturday. On Sunday, she wanted us to go to the beach in La Jolla in the North of San Diego. I was not so sure about it, as I am never very comfortable in bathing suits, but I really needed to relax and La Jolla is a very beautiful place.

The drive lasted a little less than two hours and when we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by Howard and Bernadette. I had received a text message from Sheldon explaining that Raj and him could not meet us tonight as they attended a late panel and had to start queuing tonight for another one tomorrow. He apologized but said we would see each other tomorrow evening for dinner. I was a bit disappointed not to see him, but the four of us had a great time. The atmosphere in the main streets of downtown San Diego was unbelievable with all these people dressed up as marvel or scifi characters. After dinner, we went out to a bar where we danced a little. But we got back to the hotel quite early as Bernadette and Howard had an early start the following day.

We did not even have breakfast with them the next morning as they left before we even got up. After breakfast, I convinced Penny to come with me for a walk around Point Loma where I used to go with my father as a child. Then we headed to Las Americas outlet where we almost spent the whole day. We headed back to the hotel with a few shopping bags in the late afternoon and went for a walk in the shops around the Gaslamp quarter. I had only received one message from Sheldon during the day saying he hoped I was having fun shopping and that we'd see each other tonight. I could not help but feel a little disappointed that we had not managed yet to see each other. I missed him.

Bernadette had booked a table at the hotel's restaurant for 7pm that evening. After a quick shower, we met with her and Howard in the lobby before making our way together to the restaurant. We waited for Sheldon and Raj before ordering but they were very late. I sent several messages to Sheldon but got no answer. We decided to start ordering without them, as Howard explained they were probably stuck inside a hall for some panel. He said it happened sometimes in Comic Con as there were so many people everywhere. Bernadette asked us if she could spend the day with us the following day. As much as she had enjoyed spending time with Howard, she wanted him to be able to go everywhere he wanted without having to explain to her everything that was going on. Of course we agreed. For the whole beginning of the dinner, I was a little distracted; I was beginning to worry about Sheldon. Then the two of them finally showed up around 9pm as we had already ordered our desserts. They apologized for being late. They said they had attended the Thor and Captain America panels which had both started a little late and had had trouble going out of the Convention Center; then they went to their rooms to have a shower and change. As he sat down next to me, Sheldon leant towards me and whispered "Amy, I'm sorry, really."

I turned to him and said "I sent you text messages Sheldon. I was beginning to worry." My tone of voice betrayed my anger.

"I'm sorry, my battery died. As soon as the panel was over, we rushed to get back here as soon as possible. I did not even take the time to plug my phone to charge it. And Raj did not have his with him so we could not warn you we would be late." He then placed his hand on my hand under the table but I pushed him away gently. The tension was palpable between us. But I am not sure anyone else other than Penny noticed it really. Howard and Raj were too busy explaining all the things they had done and from time to time Bernadette intervened. But neither Sheldon nor I spoke much until the end of the dinner. Then we all walked back to the lobby; everyone was exhausted and we all knew the following day would be as busy. Once there, I said goodnight to everyone, avoiding Sheldon's eyes and walked towards the lift, followed by Penny.

When we arrived in the bedroom, Penny finally asked "Amy, what is the problem? You were very quiet during dinner."

"I am fine, thanks." I replied coldly.

"Come on, something is wrong. Did you and Sheldon have a fight?" She said as she was walking towards her bed.

"To have a fight, we would need to at least spend some time together." I sat down on my own bed.

"Okay, so that's it. You are angry because he was late tonight. But you should be aware that it is Comic Con, they have been talking about it for months. It is special for them all. They stayed a little longer than expected at a panel, so what?"

"I know. But I am sad because we have not spent time together since we arrived. After all, I came for him, and he is too busy with his convention to spend time with me."

"Amy, you are a bit unfair I think. Did you really expect him to adapt his schedule for you during these four days? I know your boyfriend has changed a lot lately, but still, he is a nerd in nerdland."

"I guess you are right. It is just…. he has been so thoughtful lately, and last weekend was wonderful. But maybe I am asking for too much."

"Amy, don't forget it is Sheldon, and he has already changed so many things lately, for you."

"I know." And I knew she was right. But I could not help still feeling mad at Sheldon. Or was it at myself for feeling like that?

Penny spoke again "Ok Sweetie, do you mind if I use the bathroom first? I will have a quick shower."

"Sure, go ahead."

At the exact moment that Penny stepped in the bathroom, I heard someone knocking on the door. Three times three knocks and my name. There was no doubt about the identity of the visitor. I took a deep breath and opened to Sheldon.

"Sheldon ,what do you want?" I said curtly.

"Amy, can I come in? I would like to talk."

"I am tired Sheldon, I want to go to sleep. And I am pretty sure you also have to get up early for one of your conferences." I invited him in then closed the door. I sat on my bed.

He stood in front of me. "I have, but first I need to know: are you mad at me? I told you I was sorry, and I really am."

"I guess I am just disappointed because I came here to be with you and we have barely seen each other since I arrived."

"You came here to be with me?" he frowned "No, I think what you mean is that you came here to spend some time in San Diego with Penny. If you wanted to spend time with me, you would have accepted my invitations. You accepted Penny's." He was staring at me while saying so.

"Maybe, but I thought that at least we could have seen each other in the mornings and evenings but you have been too busy." I said, more and more doubting myself and the reasons of my anger.

"Amy, this is Comic Con, it is four days in the year during which I have access to all the things I like most besides Science. It starts early in the morning and finishes late at night. I explained to you why it was a special event for me the other day. What would you want me to do? I am lost." He was pacing through the room now. "Should I stop doing things I love from the moment you make yourself available for me? Is that what you want?" He sounded slightly irritated now.

"No of course not." I said, feeling a bit ashamed now.

"Then what? Because really, I tried my best to make things right. First, I asked you several times if you would like to come here with me and you refused. Then when Penny asked you, you accepted immediately. I proposed you to share a room with me and you refused. And now you are mad at me because when you came back from your shopping, I was not available?" He sat down on the chair that was in the other corner of the room. He went on in a much lower voice "Amy, I wanted so much for you to come to Comic Con with me, I wanted to show you all the things that I like. I know you don't like comic books or Science Fiction, but I wanted to be given a chance to show you why it is important for me. Like Howard did with Bernadette. You did not let me Amy. I accepted your choice, and did not complain, because a couple of weeks ago you said that I should let you do things with your friends and that we cannot be together all the time. But now I think the situation is preposterous." He paused "You probably did not even realize it, but tonight I came to dinner just to be with you. Right now, I should be queuing for the Dr Who 50th anniversary Panel tomorrow in Hall H, but I chose to come and have dinner here to be with you. For what? You did not even talk to me. Yes I was late, and I apologized but you did not even say a word to me of the whole evening." I kept silent, trying to process everything he just said. He was right, I had been unfair to him. "I don't know what you expect from me Amy. Maybe I am definitely not boyfriend material, because it seems whatever I do is wrong." He stood up and as he was about to leave the room, he turned towards me and added "And you know what is funny? For these past three days, I kept thinking how fun it would have been to share all that with you." And he left.

I was left speechless. I was in shock and hardly realized what had just happened: had I really been that unfair to Sheldon, asking too much from him who had already made so much effort? How could I not have seen that he really wanted to share this event with me? How could I have been so selfish? I could feel tears coming to my eyes and then rolling down my cheeks.

At that moment, Penny got out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She came closer and sat next to me.

"I heard everything. I am sorry but I think he is right Sweetie. You have been asking a lot from him and maybe you did not pay enough attention to him and what he wanted."

"I know, he is so right, I can see it clearly now. But what can I do now? I think he is going to break up with me…" I was sobbing.

"Go talk to him, apologize, and propose to spend the day with him tomorrow. That's all he wants, he told you."

"How can I have been so blind Penny? I did not pay attention to him and to his feelings."

"Well, it is Sheldon, it is never easy to know what he really wants or feels."

"I should have listened to him, there were signs, I should have understood. I simply stayed focused on what I wanted from him and never thought of what he might be expecting from me."

"Amy, he is your first boyfriend, all this is new to you too. Don't be too severe with yourself. But don't let it get worse, go and see him now."

"You are right, I have to talk to him, I have to apologize." I said, getting up. I grabbed some tissues, wiped my eyes and left the room, determined to talk to him before it was too late.

**A/N I am sorry, I have just realized that in the previous chapters, there have been some problems during the edition of the text by the website, so some words have been deleted by mistake. I am tracing it, and will check and reupload all the previous chapters one by one if necessary. I am very sorry about it, I only checked my Word copy of the document, I did not know such edition errors could happen. I will double/triple/quadruple check if necessary in the future. And please, if you notice something, do not hesitate to tell me. Sorry if it made the reading unpleasant and thanks for understanding. A**


	36. The Rookie Mistake Adjustment

**A/N: Again, thanks so much for the reviews, it is a real boost. I am really glad that you guys enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoy writing it.**

I love coming to San Diego Comic Con. It is as if this convention had been created especially for me. Well, except for all the queuing and all the germs, but for some reason it does not bother me that much; it is a small price to pay for all the awesome moments: discovering new tv pilots and new comic books directly presented by their writers, meeting the casts of Dr Who, Game of Thrones and so many other shows I like, being allowed to dress as my favorite characters, among so many other things that make this place so special. I have been coming here for almost ten years now and every year it is a renewed pleasure. So clearly, these four days should have been the best of this year for me. Like every year. But this year, for some reason, it felt different; yes, I enjoyed the screenings of pilots, although only one out of the five ones I saw was really promising in my opinion. Yes, I enjoyed watching the trailer of the new Avengers movie. Yes I loved attending The Walking Dead, Game of thrones, Thor and Captain America panels. Yes I appreciated participating to the Star Wars vs Star Trek discussion or attending the The Klingon Lifestyle presentation. But somehow there was something missing to make this year's experience complete. To be more accurate, there were two someones missing.

First, during these four days, I really missed Leonard, my best friend, the person with whom I went to all the previous editions of Comic Con. Leonard is the person who was always queuing with me for the panels of all my favorite shows when Koothrappali and Wolowitz preferred playing video or role games or seducing comic book/scifi characters such as Sailor Moon or a green Orion slave girl. He was the one whom I could share all my thoughts on all topics with, and the one whom I could share my passion for the whole Comic Con universe with without being judged or mocked. Certainly, being there with Raj and Howard this year was enjoyable, but it was not the same. Somehow, it was here, in San Diego, where I did not need him other than on an intellectual or emotional level that I had been missing Leonard the most since he had left for the North Sea.

And the second person that I had been missing here in San Diego was Amy. That was the weirdest thing because Amy and I had never been to a Comic Con edition together. We have never really talked about comic books together and she does not even like the tv shows I like, except maybe Dr Who, or my favorite movies nor play video games or role games except maybe occasionally Dungeons and Dragons. And still, I have been missing her for the whole weekend.

Last February, when I bought my tickets online, I did not even understand why I created a Comic Con account for her, and then bought a four day pass on her behalf. I guess at the time it was only because I had overheard a conversation between Penny and Leonard and I knew he would buy a ticket for her as well. Bernadette going, Penny going, I guess I figured out it was only fair for me to buy a ticket for Amy. Or maybe there was already more to it… After all, the online sale was just a couple of days after Valentine's Day and Amy's awesome gift for me. It might have influenced me at the time.

Then after our D&D private session, I had been thinking about it more and more, I wanted her to come with me this year. We had shared that moment together, she had accepted to be part of my fantasy universe on that occasion, maybe she would be open to discover more of it? But I never found out how to broach the subject with her then.

After I told her that I loved her, I was pretty sure she would accept to come with me. She had to. After all, shouldn't someone in love at least try to understand why something is very important for the person she/he loves? The truth is I realized then that I simply wanted to share everything that is very important for me with her; she has met my Meemaw and my mother, she knows my love for science and shares it, so I wanted her to share or at least try to understand my love for the Comic Con universe. And yet, I asked her several times if she would come with me, and she seemed reluctant to accept to.

After our tender weekend last Saturday and Sunday, as she had already accepted to go to San Diego with Penny, I decided to try again, pretty sure that she would understand how much it meant to me. I told her I had a ticket for her, and made her understand I wanted her to come with me to the convention, and not simply to San Diego where we would only meet at the hotel with the others. And after our very intimate talks of last weekend, I was positive she would understand why it was important for me. But she did not.

* * *

So I went to the event, without Leonard and without Amy. The more painful thing might have been witnessing Wolowitz sharing it with Bernadette; of course, because of Bernadette, Howard did not attend as many panels, he did not play as many games, but he was sharing it with the person he loves. And Bernadette looked so genuinely interested. Well, at least she pretended to be. I could not help thinking that my girlfriend should have been there with me, that we should have shared all these things. But she was not there because she did not feel like sharing these things.

During the three days she was still in Pasadena, I wanted to call her or text her all the time to tell her everything that was going on here. Like I usually do with work, when I am on the verge of a breakthrough, when I solved an important equation; she is the first one I share it with. But I knew it would bother her more than anything so I only sent a couple of messages a day. Then when she was in San Diego, all I could think was that she was breathing the same air as me, but that she preferred spending time with others. It made me sad, especially on Friday. So on the first evening she was there, I let Raj convince me to wait in line with him for the Thor and Captain America panels; the truth is I was not sure I would be able to face her without sulking and being mad at her.

Then after spending the following day in Hall H with Raj, I had managed to calm down and overcome my initial disappointment. I was now very thrilled with the idea to finally see her. I had even imagined that she might accept going out with me for a drink, or to dance, or coming with me to my room for a chat, and maybe some cuddling or kissing would follow. Maybe I could even convince her to stay with me for the night. I was daydreaming about all that in between panels. Unfortunately, halfway through the day, the battery of my phone died. And all of the panels we attended ran late and it turned out that when we realized we would be very late for dinner, I had no way to let her know. A voice in my head kept saying "She loves you and she understands you better than anyone else. She is probably as thrilled to see you as you are to see her. She won't be mad at you, she will understand. And then we will have some awesome time together."

But when we finally got to the restaurant, I realized I could not have been more wrong. When I finally sat next to her, I was so happy I wanted to kiss her but she looked so cold I resisted the impulse. Then I tried to grab her hand but she pushed me away. It hurt. She was right there next to me, and at the same time so far away from me. Could I have be that mistaken about how we felt about each other and how connected I thought we were? I went to her room to try to talk about it all, at least to try to understand what was really going on; but what I understood from that talk was that she did not care about what I wanted; all she seemed to care about was what she wanted from me. After our weekend, I thought she was the one person who could understand me, the one person who did not expect anything from me but accepted me as I was. But now I didn't know anymore. I expressed my anger and walked away from her at a complete loss. I went back to my room and realized it was not too late to go and queue for the Dr Who panel in order to have a good seat. There could be a silver lining for this lousy evening after all.

Right now, I was packing all my things. The only thing was, even now, even after that argument we had just had, I could not stop thinking about her. Why does she have to be in my head like that all the time? My bags were packed now, I was ready to leave. In no time I would be out of this room, out of this hotel, and back at the convention center.

* * *

Walking down the stairs, I was still quite pissed off. I made my way to the reception desk and waited for someone to take care of me.

When I heard a voice behind me saying my name "Sheldon?"

"Amy." She was right there, stepping out of the elevator and walking closer to me. Her eyes looked very red, maybe from crying "What are you doing here?" Yes, definitely from crying, she had a tissue in her hand.

"I came downstairs to ask for your room number. I…" then she saw my bags on the floor and frowned "Wait a minute, are you leaving now?" she looked confused.

"I am leaving my bag here in their luggage room and then I will go and queue for the Dr Who panel." I replied as coldly as possible. "What do you need my room number for?"

"Oh… I just wanted to talk to you… Well, I wanted you to know…" She took a deep breath and went on more calmly "You were right and I was so wrong about everything. I have been selfish and stupid and I hope that you can somehow forgive me for everything. But if you have to leave and queue now, I won't hold you back any longer. I am so sorry Sheldon." And she walked back to the elevator.

I stood there thinking for a few seconds, then as she had just entered the elevator and was about to hit the floor button, I yelled "Amy, hold on, please."

I rushed towards the elevator with my bags and walked inside next to her. There was just the two of us in there. "Sheldon, what are you doing? Won't you be late for queuing?"

"It can wait. I want to hear what you have to say. Shall we go and discuss to my room?"

"Oh…alright, which floor?" She asked.

"Same as yours." Then she zipped her room card key, pushed on 5, and the elevator started going up.

Neither of us said a word before reaching my room. Once inside, I switched on the lights, walked towards my bed where I left my bags and turned towards her "I am listening."

She stood facing me "Sheldon: first, I wish to apologize for being mad at you tonight, it was simply because I missed you, but it was totally unfair because: 1) it was not your fault if your battery died, 2) you were right to enjoy your Comic Con experience as much as you could and 3) I ruined our evening together with my foul mood."

"Apologies accepted." I stood there, not moving, waiting for her to go on.

"Also Sheldon, I feel so stupid. I keep replaying everything in my head and it is all clear now. I should have understood that my coming here with you was important for you. I cannot believe I missed it. I am so so so sorry."

I could see in her eyes so she was indeed deeply sorry and that she understood now. I walked closer to her and said, looking at her directly in the eyes "Indeed, it was important for me; I wanted to share one of the things I prefer in life with you. Even if you don't share my love for all this, I just wanted a chance to live the experience with you once."

"I understand that now Sheldon. I am so ashamed. You have made so much effort lately, for me, for the relationship and I have been nothing but the worst kind of girlfriend this week." She paused, moving her eyes down to the floor "Please, don't break up with me. I can do better. Like you, I am learning what being in a relationship such as ours means…." There were tears in her voice.

"Hey…" I moved closer. I placed my hands on both her cheeks and lifted her head up so she would face me. She was indeed crying. With my thumbs, I tried to wipe the tears that were running down her cheeks. "Amy, I did not even consider breaking up. How could I? I make mistakes, you make mistakes, that is how experiments work. We realize it, and find a way to correct it. We will get better, the two of us." She closed her eyes and smiled "Amy, now that you are aware of what it means to me, would you consider spending the day with me tomorrow, at the convention?"

She opened her eyes in surprise "You mean, you still want me to come?"

I tried to speak to her in the softer voice possible. I hated it when she cried "Of course I do. I told you earlier, I spent the whole weekend wondering how it would be with you. So if you are willing to try, I would be delighted to show that part of my World you are the least familiar with."

And I leant to kiss her on the lips. The kiss was very tender. It lasted a couple of minutes until she pulled away gently "Should we go and queue now?" She grabbed my hands in hers.

"No. We have to get your pass first so you can get in and it is not open that late in the evening. We will go there in the morning."

"Does it mean you will not be able to attend the Dr Who panel if we go together tomorrow? Sheldon, I know Dr Who is one of your favorite shows. Are you sure you are willing to sacrifice it for me? I totally understand if you change your mind now." She looked concerned.

I smiled, sure of my decision "I am sure. And it's no sacrifice; someone will upload it on YouTube eventually. Don't worry." We looked at each others' eyes, without moving, our hands intertwined; it was one of these looks that she and I were used to sharing, which simply expressed everything that was in both our hearts and heads without having to phrase it. After a while, I broke the silence "Do you want to spend the night here with me? I have missed you a lot these past few days. I would love to fall asleep in your arms."

She smiled "Of course. Give me a few minutes, I will go and take my bags, and let Penny know what we plan on doing." And she kissed me on the cheek before making her way to the door and then to her and Penny's room. When she came back, we both used the bathroom in turns and went to bed. Then we settled comfortably for cuddling. I was happy. I was in bed with my girl in my arms, we had been able to overcome an obstacle apparently without damaging the special bond between us and tomorrow we would spend the best day ever together.

**A/N: A chapter a little shorter than usual, but I needed to tell the reconciliation through Sheldon's POV before switching to Amy's POV for their big day in Comic Con, and maybe more... I will try to post chapter 37 before the end of the week, then there may be a hiatus of a few days because of holidays in Barcelona ;-) Sorry, but sometimes, life takes over! Please don't forget to review! **


	37. The Reciprocated Attention Paradigm

**A/N: Once again, thanks so much for the lovely reviews. I apologize for the delay and hope you will enjoy this chapter as well.**

I knocked softly on the door before I walked in silently. The light was still on. As I got in, Penny immediately sat up straight on her bed, putting away the magazine she was reading. "So? Did you guys talk? Is everything alright?" then, as all I could do in reply was lean my back against the door and grin, she drew her own conclusions. "Amy, that's great. So tell me, what did you say? What did he say?" She patted the edge of her bed "Come sit here, I want to know everything."

I walked towards her bed slowly and sat beside her; I told her that I had found him in the hotel lobby, holding his bags, ready to leave and that after I apologized to him, we both went back to his room to clarify the situation. I repeated to her what I had told him once there and that he had accepted my apologies. I kept the details for myself: the kiss, the hug, the comforting glances which were difficult to put up in words anyway.

"And then he asked me to spend the day with him tomorrow, and I accepted." I got up from the bed and headed towards my closet, not willing to meet her eyes as I was feeling myself blush "And he also asked me to spend the night with him. I have to prepare my bag now." I turned towards her shyly "Penny, you don't mind, do you? I mean we were supposed to share the room tonight and spend the day together with Bernadette tomorrow…"

She was smiling lightly "Ames, of course I don't mind. Go spend time with Sheldon, you deserve it Sweetie." I kept on packing my bag and after a few minutes, Penny said thoughtfully "I still cannot believe how much Sheldon has grown up lately. For instance, his reaction tonight, what you just said he did and said, all that was so mature."

I paused for a second "Indeed, he has changed. I still cannot believe it sometimes, he is so everything I had been dreaming of." I left for a few seconds to grab all my stuff that was still in the bathroom.

Penny started talking a little louder so I could hear her from the other room "It turns out you were right waiting all these years. But gosh Amy, I can tell you now, I was beginning to worry that your expectations could have been a bit too high as far as Sheldon was concerned. I mean I would have never guessed he had that in him."

I came back in the room with all my things and put them in my bag "The thing is it was always kind of there when we were together. I could read it in his eyes." I took my laptop from its satchel and switched it on. I quickly checked for something online and went on "Penny, do you know at what time we are supposed to leave San Diego tomorrow afternoon?"

"Howard and Bernadette said everything would be over at around 5pm. I think the plan is leaving around that time and stop on the way to have dinner somewhere. It is on Sheldon's itinerary anyways."

"Oh yes, sure, let me check…" I opened Sheldon's email about our trip "Yes, leaving San Diego at 5pm. Great!" I muttered as I switched off the computer and placed it back in its satchel. I hesitated for a second then asked "Bestie, do you think you could go back with Howard, Bernadette and Raj tomorrow evening? I know I said I would drive you back home, but there is something I would like to do with Sheldon in San Diego before heading back."

She opened wide eyes "What do you plan on doing if I can pry a little?"

"Actually, I want to make Sheldon a surprise so I prefer to keep it to myself if you don't mind. But do you think you can go back with them?" I got up, left my bags by the door then walked back towards Penny's bed and sat down once again next to her.

"Oh yeah, I am sure Bernadette won't mind." She leant towards the nightstand, grabbed her phone and started dialing "let me check with her." after a couple of minutes, she said "Yep, that is fine, they will take me home."

"Awesome." I turned around to check if I hadn't forgotten anything. "Alright, I think I have everything. I should be going now, I don't want to keep him waiting. Goodnight Penny!" And I waved as I left the room.

"Goodnight Sweetie. Have fun. Girls night tomorrow evening, I want to know everything!"

* * *

"I was worried you might have changed your mind" he said as he opened the door to let me in, obviously relieved; he was so cute when he was unsure of himself. How could I have changed my mind anyway? He sat back on the bed with his computer on his laps, already in his pajamas.

"Sorry, it took me some time to pack everything and tell Penny what the new plan is. What are you doing?"

"I am checking the program for tomorrow. I am trying to find things that we would both enjoy. Do you want to check it with me?"

"Oh, alright. No, I trust you. You know the things I like." I said grinning. "In the meantime, I think I will use the bathroom if you don't mind."

"Of course, go ahead." He said, not even lifting his head from his computer.

I came back to the room a few minutes later, in one of my new Victoria's secret nightgown, ready to go to bed. I needed to dry my hair, so I walked towards the desk that was only feet away from the edge of the bed. I plugged on the hair dryer, sat down and started brushing my hair. I was very aware that his eyes had been fixed on me from the moment I reentered the bedroom. I pretended to be focused on all the brush and the drying, but I could see his reflection in the mirror; he had been literally staring at me for a few minutes. Then he blinked, shook his head, closed his computer and placed it in his bag then on the chair next to the bed. He lay down but he was still staring at me. When I looked directly at him through the mirror, he held my gaze with his lovely eyes. I stopped brushing and drying and decided it was time to go to bed.

As I pulled back the sheets and slid into the bed alongside him, I broke the silence by asking "So, have you sorted it out? At what time should we wake up tomorrow?"

He turned to me, his head only inches away from mine. "I think we should go for breakfast at around 7.30am if that is fine with you. Then we will head to the main hall to get your pass. Do you have a small backpack with you?" I shook my head "That's fine, you will get a swag bag anyway. I will use it because it will be a little too big for you, and you can take my own backpack. I also have a spare bottle of water for you and some fruit. Oh and you should take a couple magazines with you as we are likely to queue a little."

"Why will I be given a swag bag?" I asked.

"It is given to every attendee. It is a collectible from one of the comic books, movies or tv shows. You will like it. And there is a cape in it!"

He could sound so much like a kid sometimes; I could not help but smile and stroke his cheek softly. I lay facing him, in the same position as last Sunday in his bedroom. "Alright." I placed my hand back between us, hoping he would grab it.

He went on, placing his hand on mine quite naturally. "Also, do you think we can put all of our bags in your car in the morning?" He was almost whispering now.

"Of course. Sheldon, I asked Penny if she could go back to Pasadena with the others. I just felt like driving back home, just the two of us. But if you mind, I can still text her…"

"No, don't, that's perfect. I want to spend as much time with you as possible." His fingers were playing with mine.

"I know. I can't wait for tomorrow. My first day at Comic Con, with the best guide ever!" I grinned.

"Me too." He grinned back then came closer to me and placed a soft kiss on my lips. He pulled away from the kiss and reached out to switched off the light from behind the bed. Then he gently slid his arm between the pillow and the crook of my neck; I understood the invitation and placed my head on his chest so we could start cuddling. He sighed, then said "Alright, we'd better go to sleep now, tomorrow will be a very busy day, young lady. Sweet dreams." And he kissed my forehead.

I arranged the blanket over both of us so we would feel even more comfortable, if possible "Good night Sheldon."

* * *

When we went downstairs for breakfast the next morning, Raj and Howard were already sitting at a table, finishing theirs. They waved at us to join them, a bit surprised to see me with Sheldon. He explained to them in a very proud tone of voice that I would spend the day with him, and that he had a special program for me. Shortly after, they both left to go and queue for some panel. After going to the parking lot to leave our bags in my car, we finally headed to the Convention Center. After just a few minutes in line, I managed to get both my pass and my swag bag. It was indeed too big for me to carry so Sheldon held it for me, and gave me his backpack. Then he grabbed my hand and asked "Ready?" with a huge smile on his face. I nodded and he led me out of the main hall. "Alright so it went faster than I expected, we will have more time in the exhibition hall. You'll see, it is fantastic!"

The exhibition hall looked actually like a huge warehouse. As we got inside, I was in shock: I had absolutely no idea where to look or where to go because it was so impressive.

"So, it is awesome isn't it?" He asked, studying my face carefully, obviously glad about the way I reacted.

"Sheldon, it is very impressive! And there are so many people!" I said, just as a couple dressed as people from Avatar passed by. I was feeling somewhat out of place.

Probably understanding my doubts, he said "Don't worry about it. You will be fine as long as you stay by my side." And he placed his arm around my waist. "Come on, let's go and visit." Instantly, I felt more at my place.

In the first aisle we walked down, there were screens everywhere, with people playing video games. Sheldon explained to me that these were new games that game companies let people try during the weekend. We stood for a few minutes next to the Xbox stand watching a guy dressed as Superman play against a woman dressed as Wonder Woman at some intergalactic game. Further down, there were men watching with eyes focused on a big screen with headphones on. "A replay of the trailers screenings" Sheldon said. "There are also replays of the different panels held in Hall H and Ballroom 20 in one of the other rooms all day long."

Then we walked around, stopping from time to time in front of huge tables full of toys. Sheldon was interested in the Flash and Superman collectibles, so he had look and bought a few action figures. He also spent quite some time at the Star Trek booth. Our visit finished with what was, according to him, the best part of the hall: the comic books section. He explained to me that the Comic Con event was at the beginning only focused on comic books, but that more and more, it was becoming a SciFi Movies and Series convention, used by Hollywood and the videogames companies to promote their stuff. But he still liked that aspect of Comic Con a lot. We stood in front of boxes full of thousands of comic books and Sheldon was very excited about it. He kept on talking about his favorite Marvel and DC heroes when my eyes got caught by a comic book cover with a character I knew.

"Sheldon, I know her. This is Buffy the vampire slayer! I used to watch it on TV as a teenager. I loved it."

"Did you?" He looked at me, both stunned and delighted.

"Yes, but I did not know she was a comic book character."

"Actually, it was a movie first, then they made the tv series you know. And then it was declined as a comic book series. When the tv series stopped, they went on with the comic books. The stories that take place after the tv series ended are called 'Season eight'. They are very good." He explained.

I grabbed one of the books in front of me and browsed it. "That's nice. I have always loved the idea of a young girl being the chosen one destined to kill all the vampires and save the World. And her high school in Sunnydale looked a lot like mine, with the stupid and useless cheerleaders and football stars."

He smiled "If you are interested in Buffy, the first one of the season eight series is this one "The Long Way Home." And he handed it to me. "Leonard has the whole collection at home. And all the DVDs."

I looked at it carefully "Alright, I might give it a try." I was actually really interested in it; I had enjoyed watching the show years ago, so who knows, I might enjoy reading the comic book. "I have to say I find the graphic design of the book quite agreeable to watch too".

He grabbed it from my hands "Let me buy it for you." And he paid for it. He sounded very excited that I was finally giving it a shot.

After one hour walking down the aisles, Sheldon decided it was time for us to reach the upper floor where, as he explained to me, we would spend most of our day.

The first room we got in was a fair sized room which could contain around 300-400 people. The panel that was held inside was composed of editors from DC comics. The topic was Superman, one of Sheldon's favorite characters, and one that he knew I also appreciated; although to be honest, my liking the character might have more to do with the pleasing physiques of the actors playing the part in the different tv series and movies, but whatever. Sheldon and I were standing at the back of the room; he had kept his arm around my waist and was holding me close so he could whisper in my ear more explanations when it was too coded for me to understand. After that panel was over, we stayed on the same floor to attend a panel about women in the comic books' world. The panelists were women who explained the specificities of that world and how women struggled to fit in. Sheldon has chosen that panel quite well; it was very interesting to listen to their point of view as women on that industry. It was not unlike being a woman in science actually.

Afterwards, we went back downstairs to buy some food and we met Howard and Raj. We bought sandwiches as the next panel was about to start and the four of us had to go in line. Again. That's where we met Stuart and Wil as well a moment later. If I was glad to see Stuart that I truly appreciated, I was not thrilled with the idea to meet Wil Wheaton again; I did not like the way Sheldon behaved around him, I could not really explain why. But after my behavior of the whole weekend, I could not say anything to him about his friend. But anyways, once inside the room, we parted from them all and sat next to each other at the back. It was an X men Panel. Sheldon had chosen that one because we had watched several X Men movies together already, and remembered that I liked the Mystic character. I did not really like that panel but Sheldon seemed to enjoy it so much I just pretended to enjoy it as much as him. Luckily, after that one, we went outside for a little walk while eating some ice cream. Sheldon wanted to make sure I was enjoying my day, and I had to admit I was, really. Especially because Sheldon had been so considerate for the whole time. And I loved his childlike enthusiasm and his passion.

Then at 3pm, he gave me his hand "Come now, I have a surprise for you." And we went back inside to the upper level. As we stood in line, he smiled and said "I did not know you liked it already when I added it to our program yesterday but I was pretty sure you would; this is a screening of Buffy, the musical episode: Once more with feelings. Do you remember that one?"

"Oh yes! Gosh, it must have been, what, ten years ago! I liked that episode!"

He was all smiles "Many consider it the best episode of the show. I liked it too."

"I liked Tara so this episode was a little sad for me, isn't it when she and Willow split up?"

"It is! And that is when Spike and Buffy get closer. I knew you would like it." He placed his arm on my back and led me inside the room as the doors opened. The episode was as fun as I remembered, and there were people in the crowd dressed like the main characters getting up and singing. It was truly a very nice experience, and both of us enjoyed it.

The screening finished at 4.30pm. Everyone was leaving the Convention Center now, so we followed the stream, and then walked back to the hotel parking lot to get the car.

* * *

As we got inside the car, I turned towards him "Sheldon, thank you for a awesome day. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing it with me." And I leant and kissed him on the cheek. Then I grinned "And now it is my turn to make a surprise to you. There is somewhere I would like to take you." I began to pull out from the parking space.

"A surprise?" He frowned "Please tell me what it is Amy. You know I don't like surprises."

"You will like that one. I saw it when Penny and I arrived the other day and I thought of you immediately."

"Hmmm very intriguing…."

"Please trust me. And don't worry, it won't take long to get there, it is only a few minutes away." And we got out of the parking lot. As promised, ten minutes later, I was parking the car again, in Balboa Park. "Here we are!"

"The San Diego zoo!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, and the special feature for the summer is called 'Koalafornia!' It made me think of you as soon as I saw it. And it is open later during the summer. So I knew we would have time to go tonight. " I smiled.

"What a day! Comic Con and now the koalas! And all that with you!" And he leant to place a kiss on my cheek. "Thanks Amy."

We made our way to the entrance. I insisted on paying for the two of us, as I felt that was the least I could do after all he had done for me today. We walked around the 'Down Under' part of the zoo hand in hand, stopping for the some shows with Australian artists-musicians and acrobats- or for explanations about the Australian wildlife given by a veterinarian of the park. We saw wombats, platypuses, wallabies, kangaroos…And of course we spent over one hour playing a fun game called "Spot the koala" in the trees all around the park. Sheldon especially enjoyed watching the female koalas holding the little Joeys. And I have to admit it was indeed really cute.

"Amy, that is the nicest surprise ever, after an already amazing day. Thank you so much." He said as we were walking back to the car. He had his arm wrapped around my shoulder, and mine was around his waist. It was already past 8pm and there was still a two hour drive to reach Pasadena.

"I am glad you liked it. I used to come here as a kid with my father. The San Diego zoo was our favorite trip." It was not an easy topic for me, but with him I felt comfortable enough to talk about anything, even the most painful memories.

"Did you come here often?" he asked in a sweet voice.

"Well, I had family in the area, and almost each time we visited them, Dad took me to the zoo. But I never came back after he died twenty years ago. I am glad I came back here with you today though." I said, with tears in my eyes, glancing at him. I went on "My dad loved Pandas, so we used to spend hours observing their Panda. I have heard they have a family now, with a baby born here last year. Unfortunately it was too late to go to that part of the zoo tonight, but maybe we can come back some other time?"

"Definitely" He kissed my forehead "I am glad that you came back here with me, it shows how much you trust me. And I am so glad that my first time here was with you. That is such a happy coincidence that the special feature this summer is about Australia, and more specifically koalas!" Once again, he sounded excited like a toddler.

"Yes, I was stunned when I saw it. We were meant to come here today. And I can never get tired of that "Koala face" of yours." I grinned and he grinned back "Today was my first Comic Con with you, and your first time in Balboa Park, with me. A day of memorable first times!" I said as I opened the door of the car.

On the ride home, we went on talking about everything we had seen today. And it has been decided that once every two weeks, Sheldon and I would go to Stuart's store and then spend the evening reading comic books together, starting with the Buffy ones. In return, Sheldon would have to watch a classic movie with me twice a month at my place. That was one of my hobbies that I had never been able to share with him – or with anyone for that matter - and I was thrilled when he said he accepted to give it a try. We added it in the Relationship Agreement as soon as we got back home, then went to bed and fell asleep very easily, in each other's arms.

**A/N: And this is the end of the Comic Con part of this story. But there will be other situations for our favorite power couple to face soon, I promise.**


	38. The Best Buddy Contact Reinitialization

**A/N: Hi Everyone, sorry for the delay, but I needed to write or at least decide on the content of the next 3-4 chapters all at once, hence it took some time. And also I took a few days off to go abroad. I am back now, and motivated by a few other ideas I want to develop. So the good news is after this short transition chapter, I should be able to post the next one by the end of the week at least. **

**Thanks for all the nice reviews, to the members to whom I can answer directly, and also to the guests, it really warms my heart to know that you guys enjoy this story. **

**Oh, and congrats to Jim Parsons for his third Emmy Award! **

The weekend at Comic Con finished much better than it had started; after we managed to settle the disagreement between us, Amy seemed to totally understand my point of view and we had the best time ever together. And if possible, I think it might have brought us even closer. At the convention, she spent the day with me and seemed to genuinely enjoy it. I was so pleased to discover that as a teenager she had been a fan of Buffy the vampire slayer. The look on her face when she browsed the Buffy comic books was touching. It was the first time that I saw her really interested in any comic book and even if Buffy is not my all-time favorite tv series or comic book, I am looking forward to watching or reading it again with her.

As soon as we got back home on Sunday, we conjointly wrote a new subsection under section 2 of the Relationship Agreement: Boyfriend/Girlfriend activities; each Wednesday, one of us will share with the other one something he or she really cares about and the other one has to at least try to get interested in whatever activity is proposed. We agreed that we would try, at least during three evenings for each activity, and if we definitely do not like the activity proposed by the other, we could ask him/her to switch to another one. So I will introduce her to comic books and we will start reading Buffy season 8 together, and Amy will show me the classic movies she likes and wants me to watch with her. I don't really know what to expect from it, but it sounds very important to her to share that and I have to give it a chance, for her.

On our way back to Pasadena, Amy and I shared another awesome moment; after the convention was over, she took me to the San Diego zoo as a surprise: an evening admiring the koalas and other animals from Australia. I really enjoyed myself, and Amy tried her best to enjoy it as well. But the whole time I could tell that Amy was not entirely herself, as if she were holding something from me. It was subtle but I could tell: I am getting so much better at reading people's emotions…. Or maybe am I simply getting better at reading Amy's emotions. As we were leaving, she ended up explaining what the matter was; the San Diego zoo was a place she used to go to a lot with her father as a kid. Ever since she talked to me about her childhood weeks ago, that was the first time that she really opened up about her father again. And she did not really seem to struggle telling me about it this time. Sometimes, I wish I would know everything about her, but I know she is a very discreet person, so I have to wait for moments like yesterday when she confides in me. I never push her into doing it. And I am glad that more and more she trusts me enough to do so. Surely, it can't be bad for her to finally talk about things that she has kept for herself for years, and it makes me feel like I can help her, be there for her, be the rock that she can lean on when she needs to. I have never been a rock to anyone, but I want to be hers. I know I can.

Once the Relationship Agreement was updated and we had finished talking about the events of the day, Amy and I went to bed together again. And we both fell asleep immediately. In the Relationship Agreement, we had planned on sharing a bed twice a week. Though, I really hope that we will update that section soon in order to do it more often, because I definitely sleep better with her in my arms. Of course, on the first night we are not together, I go back to my routine and it feels good. But on the second night, I miss her already and I wish she were there with me. Luckily, what is now her pillow, the one on which she lays her head when she sleeps with me, is filled with her scent for at least a couple of days after she leaves, which is comforting. But still, it is not enough anymore. I find myself willing to have her with me more and more often.

* * *

So we fell asleep in each other's arms on Sunday night and we woke up in each other's arms on Monday morning. Then after completing our Monday morning routine together, Amy drove me to Caltech. Usually, I go to work with Kripke, even on Mondays when Amy stays over. But ironically this morning Kripke would not come to Caltech in the morning, as he had an appointment in UCLA with… Amy. She will be interviewing him for her project. Like she did with Rajesh last week and like she will with Leonard when he comes back from the North Sea. I don't like it. It is like everyone is involved in Amy's project, but me, her boyfriend. And she never directly asked _me_ if _I _wanted to be part of it. I think I will talk to her about it, see why she didn't, and maybe ask her to be part of it. After all, I am Dr Sheldon Lee Cooper, BS, MS, MA, PhD and ScD, I am probably the best candidate for her study.

Another thing that bothered me a little about Kripke spending time with Amy this morning was that, even if the two of us are getting along now, I don't entirely trust him; I was afraid that he might talk to Amy about our so called sex life, even though I had asked him not to. So when he came back from UCLA, I went to talk to him to make sure he did not. He confirmed it, and I was quite relieved about it. And after all it made sense: he and I have this big project just starting, he would not want to mess with me, not now. And even if he did, I could very easily explain to Amy what is going on, which she might not even care about as she does not work with people in Caltech; and what I said is not worse than the meme theory experiment that she and I started years ago when we told everyone we had engaged in coitus, or even what we told her mother years ago about our active sex life.

That same evening, both Raj and Howard came to mine to play Halo. After the game, Raj asked me if he could use my computer and without a word skyped Leonard. It was unexpected, and I frowned at Rajesh when I realized what he was doing; but I have to admit I was quite glad somehow about his initiative. I had not talked to Leonard in weeks. Probably because of all the changes in my relationship with Amy; I did not know if I was ready to confide in him about it. And I knew that with him I would not be able wriggle out of questioning as I would with the others. But maybe I was ready after all.

The three of them started chatting for over a half hour, mostly about Leonard's project and our trip to Comic Con, while I stayed in the background, listening to them. Then Raj and Howard left abruptly, leaving me alone with Leonard for the talk I had dreaded.

"So Sheldon, what's up? It's been a long time, dude." He started shyly.

"It has been indeed Leonard. But I have been very busy these past weeks, with my trips to Texas and Arizona, my new project and Comic Con." I tried to sound as convincing as possible, but I knew I could not fool him.

"Yes, sure, I understand Sheldon." He smiled lightly "So tell me more about your new project? What is it about? All Penny managed to tell me what that it had to do with ropes and black material, so I suppose it is about string theory and dark matter?"

I started telling him more about the whole dark matter cross check analysis and then he told me a little more about his study – as much as he was allowed to say. Slowly but surely, we managed to re establish the dialog between us. Then he asked me about Comic Con and I told him everything I did there.

"Sounds like you had fun there buddy. And as much as I love working on this project, I did regret missing Comic Con. And I am a little jealous that both you and Howard managed to share it with your girlfriend and wife, it was a dream of mine to take Penny there…"

I hesitated for a second then I don't know why, I said "I missed you Leonard. It was not the same without you."

Leonard looked surprised but touched "Thanks Sheldon. I appreciate that." He went on "So how have things been at home since I left? Any news you want to share with me?" I could feel that he was trying to make it easy for me to talk about my relationship with Amy.

I decided to talk to him quite honestly about the situation "Leonard, I know Penny told you that Amy and I are getting closer." I was looking at the keyboard, avoiding his eyes.

"Yes, Penny told me. How does it make you feel buddy?"

I rose my head up and looked at him "Well, I said I loved her because I do, for many reasons. And I don't regret telling her. Actually, I really feel good about it." I was being sincere.

"Good for you Sheldon." He said, but I could tell he was not totally convinced.

"And now we are spending more time together, and I am really enjoying the boyfriend/girlfriend status now, like I never thought I would. I love learning more about her and I love sharing things with her." I was amazed at how easily I could confide in Leonard about these things.

Leonard looked stunned "That is nice Sheldon. I am happy for the two of you." He was smiling, and there was something I interpreted like pride in his eyes "And what about the physical level of your relationship? A few months back, you told Penny and I that you were considering becoming intimate with Amy someday, and now that things are going so well…. Did you make any progress in that area?"

Once again, I decided to be straightforward with Leonard. It was quite pleasurable to finally be able to talk about it with someone, especially my best friend that knew me so well and that I trusted more than a brother "I am still working on it. But now she is involved in the process and we are making huge progress together. Amy accepted to let me update the Relationship Agreement accordingly, so I remain in my comfort zone. We added sections about all the physical contacts we have already initiated. And I have to admit, I like it. Some of it, like handholding and kissing, have even become quite natural to me."

Leonard went on "Penny told me that you guys were being more demonstrative, even in public."

"Yes, Amy likes it and I don't dislike it. We communicate about it, the things she likes, the things I like, and so far, the pace has been very comfortable for me, I feel no pressure and as far as I can tell, it is fine for her as well."

"Well, according to Penny, it is. She says Amy has been beaming lately. Actually Penny says that the two of you are really cute together." He grinned.

I frowned "Oh Leonard, stop saying hippy dippy things, please." I paused but as Leonard seemed so supportive, not the least judgmental, I went on with confessions. "One more thing I can tell you is that Amy and I have been bed sharing on a regular basis now. And I like that. Actually, I miss her when we don't." I started blushing; I had not expected to talk so much. Leonard smiled softly. I cleared my throat and went on "By the way, Leonard, we will have to update the Roommate Agreement with an Amy specific section when you come back, as Amy will probably keep spending nights here after you are back."

"Wow" Leonard said "And… have you two already talked about engaging in coitus?"

I expected the question but did not feel that comfortable answering it "Not really. I mean she asked me if we would someday, and I replied that I was considering it. Since then, we have made all this progress on the physical level. If I refer to the book you gave me, we are somewhere around second base. And I do react to her touches physically, you know... I don't even freak out anymore; I am getting better at controlling it. But I don't know if I am ready for more right now. And I don't think she is either."

"So you keep going on at a pace that is comfortable for the two of you Sheldon and don't let anyone influence you; this is your relationship, and you and Amy know better than anyone what is best for you." He smiled "Sheldon, that is very nice being able to talk like that with you, man to man, even if only through skype. I miss you buddy"

"So do I Leonard." I paused "Leonard, I almost forgot. Do you mind if I lend your Buffy DVDs and comic books to Amy? She got hooked at Comic Con and we'd like to watch and read it all together…"

"No I don't mind, of course she can borrow it." Then he frowned "A few months ago, I also tried to get Penny interested in it… epic failure… glad to know your girlfriend does like it and you can share it together." He sounded a bit jealous. I found it strange; that would be a first: Leonard jealous of my relationship with Amy. And again, why not? This is a functioning relationship, based on mutual respect and communication. And the two of us seem to be at the same place now in the relationship.

He resumed "Okay. I have to go now. But let's call each other again next week. I'll send you an email with possible times for skyping."

"Sure, I'd like that."

"Bye Sheldon! Take good care of you, and both our women!" he smiled a bit sadly and waved goodbye.

"Bye Leonard, I will." And I waved back. It had been so good talking with my best friend tonight. I never thought I would tell him so much about Amy and I but I am glad I did. Not only did it feel good sharing with him, but it also made me realize that I liked the current phase of my relationship with Amy. I switched off the computer and went to bed, with my head on Amy's pillow, smelling her and imagining she was there with me.

**A/N: I told you it was a short transition one. But I thought it was interesting for Sheldon to reconnect with Leonard a little, and it also gave us the opportunity to see how he reacts to the things that have been going on lately. And now we are ready for what comes next.**

**Please don't forget to post a comment. Thanks in advance.**


	39. The Similarities Realization Maneuver

"Amy, is it true what Dr Kripke just told me about your boyfriend Sheldon?"

I was sitting at my desk, checking my notes after this morning's interview when Kate burst into my office. I placed my pencil down on my desk carefully and looked at her. "It depends. What did he say?" I asked, frowning.

She sat down on the chair in front of me "According to him, Dr Sheldon Lee Cooper is a genius with an IQ of over 180 and two doctorates in Physics who entered college at 11, obtained his first PhD at 16 and possesses an eidetic memory."

"Yes, all this is correct. His IQ is actually 187 with the Stanford-Binet method." I knew my answer would lead to more questions from her. And I could not blame her.

"Wow." She looked at me straight in the eyes "Amy, I don't understand, why isn't he on the list of candidates for our study? It would be so awesome to be able to analyze such an interesting brain. And moreover the two of you have been in a romantic relationship for… how many years?"

"Almost two years." I said sighing. She looked at me inquiringly; I knew I'd have to explain myself "I know. Sheldon would theoretically be a perfect candidate. It's just… it's just I don't think he wants to be part of it, and I was not sure I would be allowed to include my boyfriend in a study about Intellectual and emotional quotients." I was not telling the whole truth and yet I was not completely lying, I had no idea whether it would be approved.

"Actually, I guess we'd have to talk about it to the project coordinator and defend Sheldon's case in front of a board of ethics, but considering his profile, it should be alright. So the main problem could be his lack of willingness to be part of it. Are you sure you cannot convince him? I mean we women know how to convince a man to do what we want, don't we?" She winked at me.

I blushed a little, understanding the innuendo. I decided to tell her the real reason for my reluctance, after all, she could understand my point of view.

"Kate, actually, the truth is I am not sure I would be comfortable including Sheldon in this study. You know, I have known Sheldon for over three years now and he has evolved so much on the emotional level since I met him…. I know that the professional in me should be glad about knowing such a good candidate and simply jump on the occasion, but the girlfriend is a bit scared about the possible consequences on our relationship."

"Oh, I see." She remained silent for a couple of minutes then said "Amy, I understand you. I love my work, but I would not want anything to mess up with my family's happiness. But you know the questions we ask in the interviews. Why are you so sure it would be bad for your relationship? Maybe it would have the opposite effect. Maybe it would help Sheldon deal better with his issues, if he still has some. It could even bring you closer working on a joint project."

I thought about it for a second; the neuropsychologist in her could be right after all. Why do I always have to be pessimistic when it comes to Sheldon and our relationship? I replied "I don't know. I think I should talk to Sheldon and see if he has changed his mind. And then talk about all the possible implications with him." I said softly. It was probably the wisest way to deal with it: talking to him, communicating. That dilemma had been on my mind for weeks now; it was time to make a definite decision about it.

"Amy, I did not tell Brian about it. But I am sure he would agree with me, having someone like Sheldon would be great for our study. Please consider it. Both as his girlfriend and as the great professional you are."

"I will Kate. Give me a few days. I'll keep you updated." I looked at my watch and said "Alright. Shall we go to lunch now?" I got up and expected her to do the same. Instead, she stayed sitting, looking at her hands and biting her lips, obviously lost in her thoughts. I understood she was debating whether she would talk to me about something. I did not say anything, sat back and brought my attention back to my notes, waiting for her either to say something or to move out of the room. Finally, after a few minutes, she added "Amy, there is something else I would like to talk to you about. Something very personal. I might need your help."

I raised my head up, capped my pencil and closed my notebook, giving her my whole attention. "Help you how?" I was intrigued.

"Well, it has to do with my son Dylan." She started "As you know, my husband Mark and I have three sons; you met them the other day at the airport. Kevin, my eldest, is ten, and then there are the twins, Dylan and Brandon, who are eight." She paused "Everything goes well with Kevin and Brandon. I mean, they are nice boys, they are smart and work well at school, have many friends, enjoy playing games and doing sports. It is different with Dylan."

"Different how?" I asked, wondering where she was going.

"Well, Dylan is an exceptionally gifted child. The fact that he had a twin helped us realize it very early on. It was very impressive to follow his development." She was smiling shyly but with motherly pride "At the beginning it was small details, like he could hold his head earlier than Brandon, he could sit down, walk on all fours and then walk on two legs two months earlier than Brandon, feed himself six months earlier, and so on. One day, when they were two years old, as my husband started reading a story for them, he realized that Dylan was able to read it all by himself. When he was of age, I tested him with all the IQ tests we both know quite well, and the results were very clear: at eight, Dylan's brain works as the brain of teenagers twice his age. So now you probably understand better my motivation to be part of this study, both as a neuropsychologist-sociologist but first and foremost as a concerned mother."

"Concerned? There is nothing wrong with being exceptionally gifted Kate." I said, a little too defensively probably.

"Oh no, don't get me wrong, we are both proud that our little boy is brilliant. And until a couple of years ago, he was a happy little boy, always smiling and eager to learn, so everything was fine for all of us. Yes, he was different, and definitely had difficulties to fit in with his brothers, but he had found a balance with his physics books, his video games, the internet… and he had formed a special bond with my mother whom he was spending lots of time with and who was very supportive, encouraging him to read as much as he wanted and letting him be himself."

I was a bit taken aback by Kate's story; her son Dylan was a twin, exceptionally gifted, who had created a special bond with his grandmother… It did ring a bell…

"Then two years ago, as the twins had just entered first grade, my mother died. And since then, it has become more difficult for Dylan. His marks are just above average and his teacher says he does never focus on his work. He is no longer enthusiastic about anything, he is getting more and more arrogant with everyone, especially with the nannies, he is being bullied both at school and at home he fights all the time with his brothers. I do feel that he is totally lost, like he is all alone in a World that he understands too well for a child his age." She was on the verge of crying. I handed her the box of tissues that I always keep in my top drawer. At the same time, I got up to shut the door. That discussion was definitely private, and I did not want anyone to interrupt us. She resumed when I sat back "He is my baby Amy, and I don't know what I can do to make him feel better. And now it has become difficult just talking to him. The only solution to make him do things with us is by blackmailing him. We were considering sending him away in a boarding school, maybe in Europe. But he is still such a little boy, I don't want to let him down. I am at a total loss Amy."

"I am sorry to hear about all this, Kate, I had no idea about the predicament you are in." I said sincerely.

She went on "Then this morning, I heard from Dr Kripke that your boyfriend had also been an exceptionally gifted child, who became a World famous expert in Physics with a girlfriend and friends; and it gave me hope again." She blew her nose, keeping her eyes fixed on her own hands.

"Kate, what do you expect from me?" I said with a soft tone of voice.

She lifted her head up and stared at me with her wet eyes "Amy, my son is an eight year old boy with an eidetic memory who loves physics, especially astrophysics. And who reads everything, from history books to daily newspapers. He loves building things, watching science fiction. But he feels so uncomfortable in his own skin, so different. I think what is killing my boy is that feeling that he is alone, that nobody can understand him. Do you think that Sheldon would accept talking to Dylan? If he could realize that there are people like him, as intelligent, who went through the same doubts as him and that are interested in the same things, like Sheldon, maybe it would help him find hope and get back on the right track. And maybe Sheldon can help us understand what is going on with our son. " She smiled shyly while saying so.

I smiled back, still stunned by all the coincidences "Kate, I should talk to you about Sheldon. First, yes, he is everything that Kripke said. But Sheldon also is a twin, he also was bullied as a kid both at school and at home by an older brother and his twin sister, and the person that helped him go through all that is his grandmother with whom he shares a strong bond. And he also loves Science Fiction." I paused for a second.

Kate was very surprised too. She leant against the back of the chair and could not seem to speak for a minute. Then she muttered "Wow Amy!"

"I know. Both stories are very similar. It's unsettling." And I went on "Kate, the problem is that like most geniuses, Sheldon has never been comfortable with social interactions. And he hates feeling pressured into doing something. Moreover, I have never seen him interact with a child; I am not sure he would be able to help, even if he wanted to. If I simply told him everything you just told me and asked him to help Dylan, he would feel pressured. He might do it for me, but that would be reluctantly and he would probably fail in helping him."

"But Amy, can't we at least try? Please." She was almost begging me.

I looked at her in the eyes and thought about the situation for a minute. I felt empathy for her. And for that poor kid, probably totally lost and not knowing how to behave. As a kid, I was lucky having my dad and then my aunt Flora; Sheldon had his Meemaw. Poor Dylan lost his grandmother and cannot communicate with his parents or his siblings anymore. I had to find a way to help him. "I think we have to find a way for Sheldon to meet Dylan so he can find out by himself how similar they are. Let me think about it a little." I placed my hand on hers. "But for now, let's try to focus on work for the rest of the day, and I promise that I will come up with a solution tomorrow."

"Alright." She got up quickly "Thanks Amy. I appreciate that. Really"

I nodded and then stood up "Come on Kate, let's go have lunch now, Brian must be waiting for us."

* * *

"Ames, do you want some more wine? Amy?"

I suddenly realized that Penny was talking to me. She and Bernadette had arrived at my place about a half hour ago for our girls night. But as they were talking together about their respective day at work, I was buried in my thoughts. I could not help thinking about Kate and her son, and trying to find a way to get Sheldon involved in helping the poor child."Oh, yes Penny, thanks." I muttered.

"Amy, what is going on? You barely spoke since we arrived. Is there a problem?" Bernadette asked.

"No, no, I am sorry. It is just something that happened at work today. I am sorry."

"Is it about Brian?" Penny said with a grin.

"What? Oh no, no, actually the situation with Brian is back to normal. No, that's something else, not important. Do you want some more peanuts?" I asked, getting up and heading towards the kitchen.

"Yes, please." Penny went on "By the way Amy, you still haven't told us what you and Sheldon did yesterday afternoon after leaving Comic Con."

"Or how your day at Comic Con went for that matter." Bernadette added, smiling.

I grabbed a pack of peanuts, opened it then came back to the living room and sat back on my chair. "Well, Comic Con was actually quite fun." I replied casually.

"Really?" Penny asked. "Come on, tell the truth, we won't tell Sheldon."

"No really, I liked it. And Sheldon looked so happy to show me everything. I enjoyed sharing that with him, and seeing him so enthusiastic. That was kind of cute." I blushed a little. "And then we went to the night zoo."

"The zoo?" Bernadette said, surprised.

"Yes, they had a special feature for the night zoo that was about koalas. I know he likes them." I explained.

"A perfect day for Moonpie: Comic Con and koalas… and you!" Penny said, grinning.

"Yes, I think he really liked it." I did not feel like telling them more about it so I decided to switch to another topic "What about you? How was Sunday? Did you go to La Jolla?"

The girls started talking enthusiastically about their day at La Jolla, on the beach, getting tanned. Then after the convention was over, Raj and Howard went there to meet them and they all had dinner on the seafront. Then they all came back to Pasadena.

We had some fun time tonight, eating Thai and drinking wine, when the guys were all at Sheldon's for Halo night. And before going to bed, I received the nicest text message from Sheldon: **Amy, I love you, I miss you tonight, sweet dreams! S. **

Unfortunately, it took me a while before getting to sleep; first because I was so used to falling asleep in his arms now that it felt cold and lonely in my bed without him. And also because I was trying to find a way to help Kate's son without manipulating Sheldon. I knew I could not ask him to help the kid, but I did not want to trick him into doing it. Maybe there was a third way, maybe I could just provoke the meeting between the two of them, and see what would happen from a distance. I would have to talk about it with Kate in the morning and see how we could make things work.

* * *

After dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on Tuesday evening, I went back to Sheldon's. The official reason was that I wanted to borrow some Buffy comic books from Leonard for our first "Special Wednesday night" at my place. The unofficial reason was that I really liked our Tuesday evenings tea times; that was the best moment for us to talk about the events of the week. It was always a very relaxing moment that I enjoyed sharing with him in the middle of very busy weeks. It had kind of become a ritual, even though it was not written on the Relationship Agreement. After choosing the books and DVDs I would borrow from Leonard, we both sat on the couch so we could have our tea and begin chatting. After talking about our plans for both Wednesday night and Thursday's date night, I decided it was time to talk to him about my plans for the weekend.

"Sheldon, I know we had talked about spending the weekend together at my place, but I won't be able to make it. I am sorry." I said bluntly.

He looked at me, frowning "Oh…Why?"

"I have to work this weekend."

"Oh, well, if it's for work, I guess there is nothing you can do about it." he said, a bit disappointed. "Can't we at least see each other in the evenings?"

"I'm sorry Sheldon. But after two weeks of interviews in Los Angeles, we have to evaluate the profiles, and we don't have enough time before the new session of interviews starts next week. So we are going to work at Kate's in Malibu during the whole weekend." I said, keeping my eyes on my mug "Is it okay?"

"That's fine, but I was really looking forward for a quiet weekend at home, together." He said with a sad tone of voice.

We both stopped talking for a minute, both sipping our teas then I said "Actually, there is an alternative, we can still spend time together this weekend if you want" I placed my mug back on the table and turned towards him.

"Yes…." he asked, looking at me, intrigued.

"Well, Kate said that you could come if you wanted to."

"I see…."

I went on "Kate's husband will be away for a convention in Boston, so it will only be Kate, Brian, you and me, and also Kate's three sons but they will be taken care of by their nanny." She paused "You could bring some work with you and work there while Kate, Brian and I work on our data and we could also spend some time together when we are finished." I was staring at him, trying to figure out if he was hooked. I was feeling a little guilty playing the jealousy card though. He was apparently considering the possibility. Then I added "So what do you say Sheldon, do you want to come?"

"I don't know… Do you want me to go with you?" He asked.

"Of course I would love you to come. " I kept on casually sipping my tea when saying so "Kate says the house is quite big and very quiet, with a swimming pool, a tennis court, and with a very beautiful garden. "But I'd understand if you did not want to." It had to be his decision ultimately.

"I guess I will come. I'd rather be with you, even for a reduced amount of time, rather than being home and alone." he finally said.

"Good. We will probably have to leave just after work on Friday evening, if that's okay with you."

"That should be fine."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping our teas then he said bluntly "Amy, why did you not ask me to be part of your study?"

I looked at him stunned. I so did not expect him to say that. But I was glad he did, because I had no idea how to broach the subject. I hesitated a little then said "Well, I don't know. I did not ask you per se, but the first couple of times we talked about it, you made me clearly understand that you did not want to be a guinea pig for any study. Why are you asking?"

"I am asking because you asked Koothrappali, Leonard, and even Kripke. But you have a boyfriend with an IQ of 187 and you do not even ask him."

"Sheldon, have you changed your mind about it? Do you wish to be part of the study?"

I looked at him as he nodded slowly "I admit I may not have been that enthusiastic about potentially being part of it at first. But I wouldn't refuse if you were to ask me now."

"So you wish to be part of it… interesting." I smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" He asked, confused.

"Because that's funny. Kate and I talked about it yesterday. She wanted me to ask you to be part of it. She would definitely like to have you as a candidate." I paused "As far as I am concerned, I am not so sure it is a good idea Sheldon. Plus I don't even know if I am allowed to include my boyfriend to the study."

"Why don't you think it would be a good idea?" he asked, obviously puzzled.

"Sheldon, this research's title is 'Correlation between Intellectual Quotient and Social Intelligence Quotient: a study of subjects with high IQs'."

"And?"

"And there will be many questions to evaluate not only your IQ, but also your Emotional Quotient, and your social abilities. I have to admit I am afraid."

"Afraid?"

"Sheldon, do you think you could handle being asked intimate questions by your girlfriend and her research team? And do you think you could be totally honest knowing I would be one of the people analyzing your answers?" I asked gently.

He thought for a moment "Well, I think I could." He smirked. "I always tell the truth, and I trust you Amy; if my brain has to be analyzed by someone, I'd rather have it analyzed by you." He stared at me and started blushing. "It would also be an excuse to spend even more time together and I like the idea of us working on the same project."

I was amazed by his answer "Sheldon, if you think it will be okay, then let's do it; I am delighted that you want to be part of my project. And I am flattered that you trust both me and neuroscience." I grinned and leant towards him to kiss him on the cheek. As I pulled away, I added, whispering "And I also love the idea to be working with you and spending more time with you." He smiled.

We stared at each other like that for a couple of minutes then I got up and headed towards the door to go back home. Sheldon kissed me goodbye. It was a very sweet kiss that made goose bumps spring up all over my body. Then we made an appointment for lunch the next day; Dr Jane Perry would be at Caltech for the day and Sheldon, Kripke, Jane and I would have lunch together. Then I left, torn between two feelings: on the one hand, I was very happy that Sheldon volunteered to be part of my study. And on the other hand, I felt a bit ashamed about my maneuver to make him go to Kate's next weekend in order to provoke a meeting with Dylan. It took me a while to get to sleep, my conscience keeping me awake. I hope that at least our plan will work and that eventually Sheldon will be able to help young Dylan. Which we will know soon.


	40. The Anticipated Connection Initiation

"We both have two kisses left." Amy said bluntly as we were just hitting the freeway. The traffic in Pasadena was heavy, but nothing unusual for a Friday prevening.

"What?" I asked, glancing at her. She was smirking.

She kept her eyes focused on the road and started explaining "I am just reminding you that according to the new update of the Relationship Agreement, section 9: Kisses, subsection 3: Public displays of affection: 'Each party is allowed two kisses per week when third parties are a) in the same room or b) less than sixty feet away when outdoors. The aforementioned kiss can be either on the mouth (with no tongue involved) or on the cheek'" She was smiling, her eyes still fixed on the road "I kept my two weekly kisses for this weekend. I am simply warning you."

"Well, I won't be using mine, that's for sure. In front of my family, Penny or maybe our other friends, I could possibly consider doing it someday, but definitely not in front of strangers. Never." I said firmly.

"Yes, whatever." She mumbled, glancing at me for the first time. She resumed talking a few minutes later, in a much more serious tone of voice "So Sheldon, I talked to the project coordinator today; she thinks your application is an excellent thing for our project, same as both Kate and Brian. Though we still have to submit and defend your case in front of a committee of ethics. And in the meantime, we are not allowed to talk about the study together. The two of us will probably have to sign some kind of confidentiality agreement."

"Alright. That sounds fair. Anyways, you haven't told me much so far."

She went on with a sigh "Of course, that means that this weekend, you cannot be anywhere around us when we are working, or talking about work." She took a glimpse at me, waiting for my reaction.

"Oh…" I was a bit surprised but it sounded logical. "Alright."

"Kate says the house is big enough for both you and us to have our own work space; she will prepare an office just for you, with a white board on another floor than where we will be working." She paused "I am sorry Sheldon, but we cannot risk compromising our data; the results of that study have to be unbiased."

"I am a scientist Amy, I do understand why you and your team have to take such measures. That's alright." I was beginning to wonder if my coming this weekend was such a good idea. I accepted on an impulse, which I usually never do. But I was supposed to spend the weekend with Amy and I did not like her last minute change of plan or the fact that she did not seem to care about it as much as I did. When I heard that Brian would be there, I knew I could not sit quietly at home while my girlfriend would be in a house in Malibu with that guy who has tried to kiss her a few weeks ago. But now, not only was I going to spend the next couple of days in a totally unknown environment, isolated; I would not even be allowed to spend as much time as I'd want to with my girlfriend. I was biting my lip and shaking my head, just as Amy turned her head towards me.

"Thanks for understanding Sheldon. But I promise, we will be able to spend time together. For instance tonight, Brian won't be there, Kate and I will definitely not talk about work. It will be a relaxing evening with Kate. You will see, she is such a nice person. Unfortunately her husband is away for the weekend, he has to attend a conference in Boston. So tonight, it will only be the two of us with Kate and her three sons."

"But Amy…" I was confused "you said there would be a nanny to take care of the children, so I assumed there would be no contact between us and them. I am not comfortable with children; they are messy and noisy, and first and foremost full of germs." Just the thought of it made me shiver.

"Relax Sheldon. The nanny will be there on Saturday and Sunday. And anyways I am pretty sure we won't see the kids much tonight; it is already 6.30pm and considering how heavy the traffic seems to be, we will probably not be there before another hour, an hour and a half."

"Hopefully." I said. I really did not care much about children, even when I was one myself.

I could not help thinking about the irony of the whole situation: I wanted to be part of Amy's study because I felt excluded and wanted to spend more time with her, and in order to be able to do so, I would have to spend the weekend in the same place as her yet away from her. Definitely ironic. Had I been right asking to be part of her study anyways? Judging her reaction when I first talked to her about it, I was not so sure. Why did she doubt I could handle it? What kind of questions and analyses should I expect? Like I told her, I trusted her entirely, but I could not help doubting about the whole idea now.

* * *

It took us over one more hour to reach Malibu and Kate's estate. We filled the time by playing several games of our own; playing games with Amy is always a hoot and a half, she is so witty. It was almost 8pm when we parked in the driveway. From the outside, the house was just unbelievable. It looked more like a manor house, or a small castle. It actually looked a bit like Bruce Wayne's manor house in Batman Begins: tall and wide, with apparently many rooms, on two floors. At the center of the driveway was a huge stone fountain with on top a statue of Cupid bending his bow. We got out of the car and as I was retrieving our luggage from the trunk, Kate walked towards us, smiling, followed by a middle-aged man in a black suit. "Hey Amy! I was beginning to wonder if you guys got lost on the way."

"Oh no, sorry Kate, but the traffic was heavier than I thought it would be." Amy replied. I placed the bags on the ground and stood next to her "You remember Sheldon?"

"Of course. Hi Sheldon, welcome!" She said, extending her hand for me to shake.

"Hi Kate. Thank you" I said, grasping her hand. Amy looked at me, caressed my other arm with her own hand and smiled: she obviously noticed the effort I had made and appreciated it.

Kate turned towards the man "Sheldon, Amy, this is our butler Edward. Edward, these are my friends Sheldon and Amy. Please take their bags inside. They will be sleeping in the green room." The man looked at us, smiled, nodded, grabbed our bags and took them inside the house without a word.

"Your house is breathtaking Kate." Amy could not help adding as we followed her inside.

"Oh yes. It used to be my parents'. We inherited it when they died. My father was a movie producer, quite successful in the 70s-80s. He made lots of money, and being an only child, I inherited everything."

"Wow, I was not aware of that." Amy said, stunned.

"Well I prefer keeping it to myself as much as possible; no one at the University knows that I do have money. Please don't tell anyone about it." Amy nodded. As we got inside, there was a huge marble staircase in front of us. It reminded me of the staircase in a movie I had watched very often with Meemaw: Gone with the Wind. Amy and I exchanged glances, obviously equally impressed by the size of the house. Kate showed us the way to the left "Let's have dinner right now. You must be starving after such a tiring drive. Everything is ready."

The dining room was at least twice as big as my apartment. An extravagant crystal chandelier was hung above an equally extravagant dinner table made out of massive wood, probably mahogany, suitable for at least fifteen guests. On one side of the table, the dinner had been laid for three people. A woman came in and Kate introduced us to her. She was the cook and housekeeper, Marge. Kate told her we were ready to have dinner. Marge left the room and came back minutes later with several dishes on a tray.

Despite the cold setting, the atmosphere of the dinner was quite relaxed as we exchanged pleasantries with Kate. Amy was right, she sounded like a very nice person; I, who always have problem around new people, felt quite comfortable with Kate almost immediately. Her tone of voice was very warm and her eyes very friendly. She told us a little more about her parents and her employees. Both Edward and Marge, as well as the gardener, had been serving the family for years, ever since Kate was a baby, and by the way she talked about them, I could tell she appreciated them a lot. At some point, Amy asked her if the children were already in bed. Kate replied they had had dinner an hour earlier and were upstairs, playing or reading. After dinner, we would go and meet them before they'd go to sleep. The dinner was delicious. That was one of my worries about the weekend, but Marge was obviously an artist in the kitchen. It might not be as good as Meemaw's cooking – nothing is as good as Meemaw's cooking -, but it narrowly beat Mom's and Amy's, and that was already something.

After dinner was over and we were ready to go and look around the house, I turned to Marge, who was clearing the table, and complimented her on her cooking. Amy emphasized that it was not something that I did very often, so Marge blushed a little. As Kate and Amy left the room and I was about to follow them, Marge discretely asked me what my favorite dishes were and told me she would try to cook one of them just for me, winking at me. I smiled and hurried out of the room when Amy called me. As I walked past her, she gave me her hand, which I grabbed and kept in mine as we followed Kate around the house.

"We will start with the left wing of the house" Kate said as we reached the top of the brobdingnagian staircase. "That part of the house is almost entirely used by the children." She said, as she kept walking. There was noise coming from that corridor: clearly children's laughs and voices.

"Brandon, pass the ball. You will never score this way."

"But I can dribble him, I know that. Let me try…"

As we got closer to the room from where the noise came, Kate said "This is the children's games room." She said as she opened the door wider. The room was huge, almost the size of the dining room. Against the wall in front of us was a 100-inch screen. The two red headed boys that we had met at the airport were sitting on a couch. They looked alike, but one of them was definitely taller than the other one. And a bit stronger. They were playing some basketball game on the Xbox. Next to the screen was a trunk with at least one hundred Xbox, Wii and Playstation games. There were shelves on all of the walls with all kind of books and dvds on it. And at the far end of the room were another leather couch, two leather chairs and a coffee table. The room was exactly what I would like if I were to own a house some day.

Kate knocked on the door softly then got inside "Boys, it is time to go to bed now."

"But Mum, we are in the middle of a game… please, give us a few more minutes!" The eldest said, not even turning his head to face his mother.

"Yes Mummy, please!" the youngest one added, eyes focused on the screen and hands active on the joystick.

"I give you exactly five minutes, the time to go and check on Dylan." She turns to us, frowning. "Press pause for a second Kevin, please. The eldest obeyed and finally the two boys noticed that we were there. "Kevin, Brandon, you remember Amy and Sheldon, right? You met them at the airport two weeks ago. They will be staying with us for the whole weekend. Please say Hi."

The two boys stood up and walked towards their mother. They smiled at us and said Hi quite shyly in unison.

"Good evening Kevin, Brandon!" Amy said. She stared at me insistently, encouraging me to do the same.

"Good evening" I mumbled, squeezing Amy's hand. I was feeling so uncomfortable around children.

"So now kids, finish your game, and when I come back in five minutes, I want to see the two of you in your bedrooms, ready to sleep."

"Alright Mum!" they both said before sitting back on the couch and resuming the game.

We left the room. The two rooms on the other side of the corridor had stickers with KEVIN and BRANDON written on it. The third one did not have a name written on it, but a poster of the solar system, with a small sticker saying "Save Pluto" on it. The door was shut. Kate knocked twice, but got no answer. She looked at us, with a sorry smile, then knocked a third time, opened the door and stormed inside the room. Amy and I remained in the hall, her hand still in mine. I was quite intrigued about the boy that would have the solar system on his bedroom door. I too had one of those on one wall of my bedroom growing up. And I too loved Pluto. I had even worn a T-Shirt with "Save Pluto" on it for weeks when its degradation from planet to asteroid had been announced.

"Dylan, you have to answer when I knock on your door." The child was comfortably settled in his bed, with in his hands a book of which I could not see the cover. The room was dark but for the light by the boy's bedside. There were several shelves, apparently full of books. By the window, at the other end of the room was a desk with some more books on it, and several notebooks. On the walls were several posters. I could not distinctly see all of them, but the one above the kid's bed was the poster of the last Star Trek Movie. And by the other side of the bed was a shape I knew quite well as I had had it in hands once: the lifesize cardboard of Zachary Quinto's Mr Spock. And a detail that caught my eyes and made me smile: on the ceiling were fluorescent stickers of the moon and the stars arranged as the actual constellations as can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere: I recognized the Southern Cross.

I then switched my attention to the boy in bed. He was probably about the same age as the two red-headed kids, but he looked different; he had very intense blue eyes, dark hair and somehow looked smaller. He frowned, apparently unhappy to have been interrupted in his reading. He did not answer to his mother. He simply looked at her silently, then turned his eyes towards us. His look was very serious, almost sad. "Dylan, this is Amy, and this is Sheldon. They are staying here with us this weekend. Please say Hi to them." The boy studied us carefully, then re-opened his book and resumed reading. Kate walked towards the bed, bent next to his ear and said in a lower voice "Dylan, please, you promised you would behave and be friendly with our guests. You know what the conditions are…"

It obviously had some effect on the child as he raised his head up again and looked towards us. "Good evening Amy! Good evening Sheldon!" He volunteered a forced smile, waited for us to nod then his attention returned to his book.

"Thank you Dylan." His mother said in a whisper. "Now please switch off the light, it is time for you to sleep." Dylan obeyed and switched off the light by his bed. "Good night" he said loud enough for all of us to hear him.

"Sweet dreams baby" Kate said, caressing his hair. But he did not let her and moved his head to the other side.

"Good night Dylan" Amy said. I said nothing, simply squeezing Amy's hand a little harder. Before Dylan switched off the light, I had had time to catch a glimpse at the cover of the book he was reading.

Quite puzzled by the whole situation, it took me some time to pull myself together and move along with Amy. As I kept standing there, I noticed that it did not take more than a couple of minutes for the light below the door to reappear. That was clearly one stubborn child.

"Sheldon?" Amy ended up calling me. I had not even realized that I had let go of her hand. She was already at the other end of the corridor. She held her hand out to me again.

"Sorry, I'm coming" I said, walking towards her and taking her hand again. Kate was leading us to the other wing.

On our way back to the staircase, Kate stopped to check on her two other boys. When she joined us again, she said "The other rooms at the end of the first floor of the left wing are just the kids' bathroom, the laundry room and my father's old library. Now let's go to the right wing; that is where the two of you are going to sleep. And that is where your office will be Sheldon." There were actually two guest rooms on that side of the staircase. The first one was going to be Brian's. Then there was a room that was locked; Kate said nothing about it, she simply seemed troubled while walking by it. Then on the other side of the corridor was a room full of sports equipment. Kate said I could use it if I wanted to, and Amy started coughing, grinning. I frowned at her, she frowned back. She was right, I would never use it. The next room was the room Kate had prepared for me. There was a huge desk, totally cleared. The leather chair looked very comfortable. There were also two white boards and a couch.

"And this one is your bedroom." She said as she opened the next door. The room was also very big. It was an en suite room, as Amy had told me, with a gigantic and very clean bathroom, with an angle bathtub and two sinks. The bedroom was painted in green, with a king size bed, a couple of chairs, a couch and many windows. And there was a big TV screen in front of the bed.

"Kate, this room is wonderful!" Amy said as she got inside and sat on the bed. I stood by the door and nodded.

Kate smiled "I'm glad you like it. There is a sauna booth in your bathroom, but if you prefer, there is a Jacuzzi in the bathroom just across the hall. There are towels and products in your bathroom, do help yourself. Oh, and here is the closet" And she opened the door on the other side of the bed, which led to a room that was even bigger than my bathroom in Pasadena. Our bags were already inside "Now do you wish to continue the visiting the house, and would you rather go to sleep now?"

"Oh, it is quite early, I'm dying to see the rest of the house. Sheldon?"

"Sure, let's see the other rooms" I would have preferred to go to bed immediately but Amy seemed so enthusiastic, I thought I would just do as she'd prefer. We went downstairs and visited each room: there was the masters' bedroom, a bathroom, a games room with a pool, Kate's and her husband's offices in the right wing, the staff's bedrooms, the living room, the dining room and the kitchen in the left wing.

We stopped in the living room to have some tea, and then after chatting a little more, we said goodnight to each other, parted and went to our room.

* * *

"This house is just unbelievable. I had no idea it would be that big. I can't wait to see the garden and the rest of the estate tomorrow, that must be truly beautiful." She said as she placed her clothes on the racks in the closet.

I nodded but did not speak.

"Sheldon, is there a problem? You have barely spoken since we arrived."

Communication. That was the key word for our relationship now, so I decided to talk to her about what was bothering me "Actually, I was just thinking about this house. It truly is beautiful. But Amy, is this the kind of house you would like to live in? Because you know, I cannot afford that, even if I get tenure, there is no way we can live in a house like this." I sat down on the bed.

Amy emerged from the closet and looked at me obviously stunned "Sheldon, as much as I think this house is beautiful, I am very much aware there is no way I would ever live in a place like this." She grinned "So you do think about us moving in together someday?" She walked towards the bed and sat next to me.

"Well, that's possibility." I said shyly, grabbing her hand and playing with her fingers. "But if it happens, it would definitely be in a much smaller house."

"Sheldon, I would accept living in a studio if it were the only way I could live with you. I love you and I really don't care about money." She turned to me and placed a peck on my cheek "But I have to admit it is very nice being able to spend the weekend in such a place." She said as she got up and walked back to the closet. When she was over, I too went there to place my clothes on the racks and the shelves as she went to the bathroom for a bath. After I had a bath myself and came back to the room, Amy was already in bed, reading Neuron. I slid under the sheets and placed myself next to her. I moved to my side and placed my hand on her waist. She smiled, closed her magazine, placed it on the bedside table as well as her glasses, switched off the light and turned on her side as well so we could spoon against each other. After a few minutes, I broke the silence "Amy, did you notice the book Kate's son was reading?"

"No, it was quite dark I did not see." She whispered.

"It was A Brief history of time, by Stephen Hawking."

"Oh."

"Amy, do you know how old the boy is?"

"Well, Kate said her eldest, Kevin, the tall red-haired boy, is 10, and the twins are 8."

"Twins?" I repeated "The other two boys are twins?"

"Yes. Brandon and Dylan are heterozygous twins."

I snorted "Yes, thanks, I may not be a biologist but I figured that out, Dr Fowler. I am a heterozygous twin myself actually, remember?" She giggled and apologized.

"So the boy is 8." I said. "Interesting. I was the same age when I read the book. It was released that year." I went on "Amy, did you notice how sad and lonely he looked? I mean lonely like when you feel no one understands you…" I was actually thinking out loud. For some reason, that boy intrigued me.

Amy moved a little and made herself even more comfortable against me. I moved back my attention to her. I kissed her in the neck and moved my hand up her body, until it reached her breast. "Do you mind?" I asked her before cupping it through her nightgown.

"No, of course not. It has been a long time since we last did this. I love it." She sighed "Good night Sheldon."

"Good night Amy." I placed my head against her neck, breathed in her scent and closed my eyes, at peace.

**A/N: I decided I would keep the slow pace, and take time to introduce the places, the characters and the new situations. I hope you liked this chapter. I am already working on the next one, which could be told from Dylan's POV. Let me know what you think about it. Please don't forget to review, I love that.**


	41. The Lanky Stranger Conundrum

**A/N: First of all, let me thank you all guys for the nice reviews; I am glad that you enjoy this story, because it is so much fun for me to write. This is my first fanfiction, and I am learning. So thanks for the kind words. As promised, this chapter will be told through Dylan's POV. **

Being more intelligent than everyone else is not as easy as it may seem. Mostly because there is that constant need inside of me to understand everything and to learn all the time. That is more than a need actually, it is more like a devouring urge. It is like my brain has to remain active continuously, and there is nothing I can do about it but comply. It is as if I had a multi core processor in the head that works a very fast pace and I am still learning how to use it. There are so many things I would like to understand but sometimes I don't know how to proceed really. I know I need guidance, but I am all alone. Before, I had my Mamie to help me deal with it. She was there, guiding me, supporting me, comforting me and more importantly loving me. By answering my questions, and listening to my ideas and frustrations, she helped me stay focused and organize my thoughts. And she taught me that I should not be afraid to be who I am, that I should be proud to be different, and bless God for such a gift.

Then she went away, suddenly, leaving me here, all by myself; Mamie died only a couple of weeks after I entered first grade. And everything in my world fell apart all at once. She left a void impossible to fill. "Sometimes, only one person is missing, and the whole World seems depopulated." That is how I feel now. Only she could understand me. At some point, just after her death, my mother tried to spend some time with me like Mamie did, she tried to have me talk to her about my thoughts, my fears, my frustrations, my feelings. But I did not let her get inside my brain, and maybe I shut my heart off to her as well: no one could replace my Mamie, I did not want anyone to. Not even my mother, especially not by using her neuropsychologist's tricks. So Mum did not insist and now here I am, all by myself with that unsatisfied thirst for knowledge and that deep feeling of loneliness.

Indeed, I feel so lonely all the time, because no one understands me and they judge me according to their own standards. Mamie used to say that because of my brain being so different from everyone else's, I could not have social interactions like normal people do. So I'd have to learn how to fit in this World and with the others. She was extra careful about it. She wanted me to be able to read other people's emotions. I never really see the point for me to try to behave like the stupid people, but I tried to, for her. Now, I don't care about anything. If these stupid people cannot understand a genius like me, I don't see why I should make the efforts and socialize with them. I don't mind being alone per se, as in I don't care that much being judged by weak brains; what is painful though not to be understood, and not being able to share the things I know, not to have someone whose brain would work the same way as mine and whom I could talk to from time to time. That would be so relaxing.

Mamie's death constituted the end of my life as I knew it, the end of the time I felt happy and innocent, and loved and understood. Now I just feel different and frustrated all the time. And the main reason for my frustration is that school is definitely not the knowledge temple I thought it would be. I had such high hopes about school. How wrong was I. Mamie used to say that it was a place where everyone is encouraged to learn, where curiosity is welcome, where I would blossom and find my way guided by passionate teachers. But after a few days, I realized it was not at all what she had described. First, we began with notions that I had acquired ever since I was a toddler. And then it was going so slow I was bored from the first minutes. Most of my peers could not even read or write properly or sum up two with two. I wanted it to go faster, I wanted to learn more complicated things, but no one listened to me: the teacher said I was disturbing the class, that she could not focus on me and that I should learn to be patient. And when I told them about my frustrations, my parents simply said I had to do what the teacher said and that I should stop explaining to her and to everyone else they were wrong. But that is so unfair, because I am right and they are wrong. Always. Why can't I say it? I feel very frustrated, and no one listens to me.

It is the same at home with my siblings. My older brother Kevin and my twin brother Brandon are stupid. They don't understand the important things, and worse, don't want to learn about what really matters: they spend lots of time watching sport on TV, playing video games with their friends, at the swimming pool or playing baseball, while they could use their time to learn so much more. My brothers and I have nothing in common, as they don't like science, or science fiction, and the only video games I like as the ones they don't. Also, at any opportunity, they side with each other and call me names. I know it is out of jealousy, because my brain is so much better than theirs. Moreover, Brandon is in the same class as me, and with his best friend Bradley, they mock me, tease me, make fun of me, bully me anytime they get the chance. I don't understand why. I mean, I can understand Maxwell equations on Electromagnetism, I can understand Einstein's theory of relativity, I can understand Schrödinger's wave equation for the particles, but I just cannot figure out why Bradley Duncan enjoys treating me the way he does. It won't make him any more intelligent, he should simply accept the fact that I am brilliant and he is dumb as a brick. They all are.

Being bullied is not fun; most of the time, I end up injured and humiliated. And no one to talk to about it. So in order to be beat it much less, I decided I would not participate in class anymore; anyways, most of the time, I am so bored in class, I don't even listen. And I don't care about not getting good marks. Not anymore. What is the point? I am the most intelligent of my class, I don't need marks to prove it.

After a few days, I went to talk to my parents about possibly skipping one school year or two, to begin with, because I knew I was wasting my time, which could be used to achieve so many things if I were given the opportunity. But my parents refused to consider it. They said I needed to stay a first grader, that I needed to be with children my age, and socialize with them. They said it was important for me to stay with my twin brother. They said that emotionally, I would not be able to handle the pressure if I were to be surrounded by older children. I disagree. I think my parents don't understand me. They treat me like any other child, but they don't understand what is killing me inside: stagnation is what kills me; the lack of intellectual challenge is unbearable. Mamie would have understood me, and probably convinced my parents I was right. Now I am mad at them. Something is broken, I don't trust them anymore, I don't even want to talk to them. That is why I feel so lonely. And no one cares about my now silent suffering.

So to satisfy my brain, I have no choice but to learn all by myself. It is the key to my survival really. I have read every single schoolbook in my parents' offices. I have read every single matter, starting with their favorite ones, neuroscience and biology but I quickly understood that I loved physics more than anything, especially astrophysics and cosmology: the planets, their satellites, the stars, the galaxies, the Universe: all of that is so fascinating. Lately I have discovered that no one really knows how the Universe was formed, and how it is evolving. There are so many questions yet to be answered. We are so small on the Universe's scale, and that is just disconcerting. Then one day, on the internet, I read about a book written by one of the specialists on the subject, Pr Stephen Hawking. I saved money and last week, as we were at the mall, I finally bought it. I was so excited about reading it. The back cover said: "Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the Universe infinite or does it have boundaries?" I was so thrilled. These were some of the questions I had been wondering ever since I realized there was a correlation between time and space. I started reading the book, entitled "A brief history of time" at the beginning of the week, and I have to admit it is a bit complex to understand. I try to go and check online tips to understand it better but all the notions are not easy to get: black holes, string theory, quantum loop theory, Grand Unified Theory, dark matter, black energy…. It is even more difficult to understand because no one even agrees on the definitions and hypotheses. But even though these concepts are not very easy to grasp, I know one thing: I want to know more about it, it so fascinates me. I will be able to understand it all someday. I have to. I would love to pursue in that area.

* * *

On Friday, my brothers' friends came home for the day and spent their time around the swimming pool. I stayed upstairs all day, reading my book. My favorite room of the whole house is Mamie's office. When I am overwhelmed about something I read, I feel the need to read it in there. It is actually the room where I feel the most comfortable; I can feel her presence with me, and it comforts me. Being surrounded by her paintings, her books, her furniture really helps me pretend that she is still there with me, accompanying me in my quest for knowledge. I can sometimes imagine her cheering me on. I miss her so much.

Mum came back from work at 5.30pm. Usually, she comes by for a few seconds, tries to talk to me and as I do not answer or show her I don't feel like talking to her, she leaves me alone. But tonight, she came and stayed there, obviously willing to talk to me about something: she had invited her colleagues at home for the weekend and wanted to make sure I would behave. Of course I would behave, I never misbehave. But for some reason she seemed to think I could cause trouble. Another proof, if needed, that she does not understand me; when strangers are around, I try my best to stay away and not pay attention to them. I don't like meeting new people. Then she explained that one of her colleagues' boyfriend would have to work upstairs in Mamie's office for the whole weekend. I was pissed off: what right did a stranger have to invade Mamie's private office? Mum knew I would not be impressed with the idea, so she proposed a deal with me: I'd let him use Mamie's office without sulking and promise not to disturb him and in return Mum would give me back my Lego Death Star.

A few weeks ago, I received the Lego Death Star for my birthday. I was thrilled about it, as I had always wanted to have one, I think the Star Wars saga is the best – except of course Episode 1 and arguably Episode 3. As I was beginning to build it, Kevin and Brandon insisted that they wanted to build it with me. It ended up in a fight during which Brandon went to weep and complain to Mum that I did not want to let him 'play' with me. 'Play', as if it were a game. Anyways, Mum as usual made a speech about sharing with my brothers, and told me that if I did not want to 'play' with my brothers, she might as well keep it until I become reasonable. And that is how my Lego Death Star stayed in a box, untouched for weeks, confiscated by my mother. I agreed about the stranger using Mamie's office on the condition that I would not have to let Brandon and Kevin touch my death star: it was mine, and mine only. They would not be able to do it the right way anyways. Mum accepted reluctantly: we had a deal.

That same evening, a couple of hours later, Mum came to my room to bid me goodnight. She was accompanied by her two guests that had just arrived. They both stood by the doorframe for the whole time. I did what I had promised mum and was very polite with them. Then they all left and I pretended to switch off the light. After Mum shut the door, I recited Pi to a hundred places in my head and then, as I assumed she was far enough, I switched my bedside light on again. But as I tried to resume reading my book, I just could not focus; for some reason, I could not help thinking about the lanky man that had been standing by my doorframe just minutes ago; his Superman t-shirt, his attitude, his stare, his intriguing smile. He looked so different from my parent's biologists, surgeons or psychologists friends. Mum said they'd be there for the whole weekend. I'll probably have other opportunities to see him in the next couple of days. I will try to know more about him. For some reason, he does intrigue me.

* * *

In the morning, I was forced to follow my brothers to their baseball match as part of the deal with my mother. But Lauren, our nanny, allowed me to bring my book with me, so that was not that bad; I sat in the bleachers and pretended to cheer them up, while I was really focused on the explanation of black holes by Pr Hawking. When we came back home, I went upstairs immediately to change and get ready for lunch. The outside table had been set for 8 so it looked like we would have lunch together with the adults. As I walked downstairs with my eyes focused on my book, I did not pay much attention and bumped into someone. My book fell to the ground at the contact.

"Sorry!" I said shyly out of reflex.

"Oh Sorry!" a woman's voice said almost simultaneously. It was my mother's colleague who was going upstairs.

She picked up my book and gave it back to me "I can understand why you did not pay attention, this book is captivating."

"Yes it is." Then I looked up, stunned "Did you read it?"

"Yes I did. My boyfriend offered it to me not long after we met. It is his favorite book."

"Oh" was all I could say. She smiled then went on climbing the stairs and turned to the right wing of the house.

At the table, I sat between Brandon and the lanky stranger. But he did not talk to me at all for the whole lunch; he was too busy talking to his girlfriend, my mother and my mother's colleague that arrived this morning, Brian. At first, they talked about totally uninteresting topics, such as how they all thought our house was beautiful, or how happy they were that he would be part of their study soon. On my side of the table, Brandon and Kevin, who had just discovered I had been given my Lego Death Star back were complaining and sulking, and trying to convince me to let them build it with me. Then suddenly I froze as Brian asked the lanky stranger about his work; I listened carefully. The man, Dr Sheldon Lee Cooper, is a Senior Particles Physicist at Caltech. Apparently, he is one of the World's specialists of string theory. I was stunned. What a happy coincidence. I heard him explain what his current projects were and that was fascinating. He is working on dark matter! Unfortunately the subject moved back to my mother's and Brian's careers, which I did not care much about. Dr Cooper stayed silent for the rest of the lunch. His attitude was strange; he could not keep his eyes away from his girlfriend and Brian that were sitting next to each other opposite him. When lunch was over, my mother and her two colleagues got up and walked towards the office to resume their work. Suddenly, Dr Cooper got up as well and walked towards his girlfriend. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her close to him and kissed her on the lips, then I heard him whisper "I use this one just so you don't forget I love you." She pulled away, touched his cheek, smiled and followed my mother and a frowning Brian. Then he sat back to finish his cobbler. My brothers and Lauren got up and went upstairs to play video games. I told Lauren I would come upstairs soon, I had to finish my dessert first. But the real reason was that I wanted an opportunity to be alone with him. It was just the two of us at the table now. We remained like that, in silence, each of us eating our cobbler for a few minutes. I wanted to get started, and ask him about his work and the mysteries of the Universe, but somehow I could not form the words. I was impressed. Realizing I would not be able to talk, and having no reason to stay any longer as I had finished eating, I got up reluctantly and slowly walked towards the house. Then I heard a voice behind my back "Would you show me your Lego Death Star? I built one once, I can help you… if you want."

**A/N:** **I am sorry it took me so much time, but it was very difficult to write. I am not 100% satisfied with it, but I'll try to do better in the following chapters. Next chapter will be told through Amy's POV.**


	42. The Elective Affinities Exploration

**A/N: As always, thanks for reading, and for reviewing. This one is a little longer than usual, I hope you'll enjoy it.**

_"__Amy Pond, there's something you'd better understand about me 'cause it's important, and one day your life may depend on it: I am definitely a mad man with a box!" _said a male voice, with a British accent. Then a weird laugh. And some loud music. And some even louder strident noise.

It took me a few seconds to figure out where I was, and under which circumstances; the time for my brain to start working properly and put all the pieces together. That voice, I knew it…. "Amy Pond"? British accent?... The doctor…. Definitely…. Yes, of course. So Sheldon was probably in the room with me…. it was… Saturday morning, Doctor Who on BBC America. Wait, TV in the bedroom… alright, I remember now, I was at Kate's for the weekend, sharing a room – and a bed for that matter - with Sheldon. I opened one eye, with difficulty. Then the second one. With even more difficulty. But blinded by the sun that was shining through the wooden blinds, I shut both eyes immediately. It was obviously quite early in the morning, around 6 or 7 probably. I hate waking up so early at weekends! I turned slowly towards the other side of the bed. I snuggled a little longer in the sheets, with my fists clenching on each side of the pillow, finally opening my eyelids slowly while was there, about ten inches away from me, sat against the back of the bed, with his eyes fixed on the television. It got me thinking that if Sheldon and I ever live together some day, there will definitely be no TV allowed in the bedroom; I don't want to be awake at the crack of dawn every Saturday of my life by some TV show I don't even like. And I secretly hope that the day we decide to live together, there will be far more interesting things for us to do in the bedroom than watching TV. I stayed like that for a moment, silently gazing at him while daydreaming, when suddenly, he grabbed the remote control and switched the television off.

He turned his face towards me "Good morning Amy" he said, smiling gently, his beautiful blue eyes locked with mine.

I smiled back "Good morning Sheldon" I replied, my voice still sleepy. "What time is it?"

"It's 7am. I hope I did not wake you up." he said, genuinely concerned.

"No don't worry" I lied. I was not even mad at him actually. Who could resist that smile? "I need to get up very soon anyways. Brian will be here at 8am, and after a quick breakfast, we will start working."

Then, without really thinking, I got closer to him and placed my head on his shoulder. I waited for his reaction, but he did not seem to disapprove. Encouraged, I placed my right hand on his chest and softly stroked it over the soft fabric of his pajamas did not say anything until I undid a couple of buttons and boldly let my fingers slid under the pajamas vest.

"Amy, what are you doing?" He asked hesitantly, his body trembling a little at my touch.

"Exploring a little. Do you mind?" I whispered lifting my head up to check again how he was reacting.

"No." He said, staring at my hand.

"If you don't like it, let me know and I'll stop." I offered, secretly hoping he would say no.

"No, that's fine. I…. I do like it actually." He said in a breath, closing his eyes.

I could feel that he was indeed relaxing under my ministrations when he placed his arm down my back, leaving his hand on my waist. I went on rubbing his chest hair for a little longer, then stopped all movement and kept my hand flat and still on his heart. It felt so good touching him like that and feeling his heart beating under my palm. After a few minutes, I removed my hand and sat up straight; I did not want to push him too far and it was time to get up anyways. He was staring at me with a most peculiar expression on his face, something between surprise and pleasure. On another impulse, I leant towards him and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. It was just meant to be a quick peck but as our lips were parting, he grabbed my jaw smoothly but firmly with both his hands, pulling my lips back against his and kissing me passionately. While doing so, he leant against me and pushed me down onto my back. He was now on top of me, resting upon one forearm, with his other hand caressing my cheek, his fingertips gently brushing my hair.I had my hands on his waist. His tongue was exploring my mouth, taking advantage of the fact that my head was pressed against the pillow to kiss me more passionately than ever. It was becoming quite heated when finally he pulled away, leaving me both breathless and speechless. I lay there for a moment, hardly realizing what had just happened; that kiss had just been amazing. When I felt I had recovered a little, I rolled on my side to check on him; he was back to his previous position, sitting against the back of the bed. In his eyes, I saw a mix of desire and fear. He avoided my gaze and looked away, soon switching the TV on again. Clearly, we had gone as far as we could go right now as far as he was concerned, and to be honest we were also pretty close to my own limits; I had difficulty to sort out all these new feelings and sensations I was experiencing. But each time, in the heat of the moment, I wanted more. I got up slowly and made my way first to the closet and then to the bathroom, without a word, too caught in my own thoughts to initiate communication with him. When I came back to the room a few minutes later, clean, dressed and definitely having a better grasp on what had happened, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to go to the bathroom.

"Sheldon, are you alright?" I asked as I walked by him "I'm sorry if I pushed you a little too far earlier, I did not mean to."

He smiled shyly "I'm fine Amy, you did not push me. I liked the cuddling and I kissed you the way I did because I wanted to. It is just that it was a little overwhelming and I thought it was enough for now. But please don't think I did not like it, cos I did." He was blushing a little.

I smiled back as shyly "I felt exactly the same." I said, placing my hand in his. I went on "and I like it that we are comfortable enough to stop when it gets overwhelming. And to talk about it afterwards. We are moving at the perfect pace for me." I let go of his hand and walked back to the closet. I observed him from there. He seemed to be thinking for a minute, then smiled again, said "It is the perfect pace for me too" and walked towards the bathroom.

* * *

When Sheldon was ready, we both went downstairs for breakfast. Brian had just arrived and he was sitting there with Kate, drinking coffee and chatting. It was the second time Sheldon and Brian met, but only the first time after Sheldon had learnt what had happened between us weeks ago.I felt a little nervous about it, but Brian stood up immediately as he saw us and greeted us warmly, which set the mood for the whole encounter; the four of us talked about anything and everything for around a half hour. Even Sheldon talked from time to time, and there was no hint of jealousy in his tone of voice; he was genuinely trying to exchange pleasantries and be friendly with my colleagues. When I told Kate that I was surprised not to see the children this morning, she replied that the children had already had breakfast as they left early for a baseball match. Then she asked Sheldon if he had everything he needed and told him that if he needed anything, he could simply call the kitchen with the phone that was in his office and Marge would be there to help him. When breakfast was over, Brian, Kate and I went to Kate's office, leaving Sheldon alone in the dining getting up, I kissed him on the lips then whispered in his ear "Weekly kiss number one: to let you know again how much I love you, how much I enjoyed this morning and how sorry I am that we have to spend the day away from each other. Have a good working day Dr Cooper." He looked at me and smiled, initiating one of our sweetest glances ever.

Brian, Kate and I worked for the whole morning, with quite satisfying results. Then when Kate's children came back from their baseball game, it was decided that we would all have a break and meet again at 12pm for lunch, in the backyard; the weather was really beautiful and it was a great occasion to take advantage of it. Kate showed me around quickly– the tennis court, the swimming pool, the orchard and the pond, that place truly was amazing - and then I rushed upstairs to spend some time with Sheldon before it was time to go back and gather with everyone. On my way up, I bumped into Dylan, who was reading A Brief History of Time, as Sheldon had noticed the day before.I have only been able to exchange a few words with the boy, but I understand what Kate meant: he avoids eye contact and even though you can feel that he has things to say, he just keeps it all to himself. It was going to be more difficult than I thought it would to have him interact with Sheldon.

I went to Sheldon's office ; he sounded all excited about how productive his morning had been. We both headed to our room, freshened up and talked some more about his we both went downstairs for lunch a half hour later, everyone was already sitting around the table and there were only two spots left, on each side of the table, one between Brian and Kevin, and one between Kate and Dylan. Kate called Sheldon and told him to sit next to looked at me, obviously unimpressed to see me sit next to Brian, but I gave him a nod as to tell him that everything was going to be fine. And actually, we had a very relaxed and enjoyable time. Marge had prepared a delicious meal and everyone seemed to enjoy it, including Sheldon and the children. I complimented her and so did everyone else. Then I complimented Kate on such a beautiful estate and she told us a little more about the house and the surroundings. Then Sheldon talked with Kate about his current project and his background. Kate and Brian told him that they were glad he wanted to be part of the project andSheldon said he had accepted because he knew he could trust a team which included the best neurobiologist; we shared a knowing glance at that moment. Then Brian and Kate told us more about their own background. On the other end of the table, the kids were talking about their baseball game and at some point there's been a lively talk between Brian and his brothers about some Star Wars/Trek game. Unfortunately, despite being sitting next to each other, Sheldon and Dylan did not talk at all. I would have to find an idea so they can at least talk to each other before the end of the weekend.

When both my colleagues and I had finished our dessert and were ready to go back to our office, Sheldon leant towards me and against all odds used his first weekly kiss. "I use this one just so you don't forget I love you." He whispered in my ear. I grinned, both surprised and delighted by his action, and left him reluctantly as he was finishing his dessert. But I was well aware that that kiss was a way to mark his territory. Again.

* * *

"And I'll have you know Mr Dylan that the best Mr Spock was Leonard Nimoy."

"I don't see how your Leonard Nimoy could possibly be better than Zachary Quinto. Quinto rules!"

"Quinto is not bad, I admit it, but Nimoy was just brilliant. And you definitely have to see the first series so you can judge by yourself that I am right."

"Well, I will see if I can find it online, but I know for sure that no one can be better than Zachary Quinto. You are wrong Dr Cooper."

"Oh youth! Alright, let's talk about something else: do you prefer R2-D2 or C3PO? Careful, there is only one acceptable answer…"

These voices were coming from Sheldon's office. Once I realized that what I had been hoping for was finally happening, I laughed at the exchange, both glad and stunned: an eight year old boy had just told Dr Sheldon Lee Cooper, BS, PhD, etc… that he was wrong, and he did not get mad. Sheldon and Dylan had definitely found common ground, and it was not the one I had anticipated. But Star Wars/Star Trek seems to be something intelligent males like, for some reason I don't understand. I should probably start a study on the subject.

After a couple of minutes, I knocked gently and opened the door. "Sheldon? Can I come in?"

I was already halfway inside when he replied in a very enthusiastic voice "Amy! Sure, come in!" I closed the door behind me. Sheldon and Dylan were sitting on the floor in the Indian style position. There were lots of little boxes around them, containing what looked like puzzle pieces. Between them was a base for some kind of an orb.

As I walked in, Sheldon got up and held out his hand towards me "Come sit with us."

I grabbed his hand and followed him, kneeling next to the two of them.

"Hello Dylan!" I said, smiling at the boy next to me. He smiled back lightly "What are you guys doing?"

"It is a Lego Death Star, Amy, can't you see?" Sheldon said.

"Oh, okay." I said, but I still had no clue what this was "Is it yours, Dylan?"

"Yes." The boy replied shyly, definitely less loquacious than before I interrupted them.

"Dylan here needed help to start building it, so as I have built one before, I thought I could take an afternoon off and help him with it."

"It looks awesome" I tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible. "Sheldon, actually I came here because we are done for the afternoon, and Kate proposes that we all go downstairs and have a snack around the swimming pool. We are all expected there in fifteen minutes." Both Sheldon and Dylan looked at each other knowingly and then at me with pleading eyes.

"Oh Amy, do we really have to go?" Sheldon finally said, with Dylan nodding.

"No of course you don't have to. But I thought that after a day away from each other, you'd like to spend some time with me." I said, a bit disappointed by his lack of enthusiasm.

"Oh, well, yes…" the cogs in his head were obviously rolling "Alright, I'm coming." He said, in a firm tone.

I smiled "Alright, let's go now." I said as I got up, soon imitated by Sheldon "Dylan, will we see you there?"

"I'm not going, thank you." Dylan simply said, burying his head in one of the little boxes.

"Oh, why?" I asked, genuinely disappointed.

"It just does not sound like something I would enjoy." He said, obviously sulking; he would have clearly preferred Sheldon to stay and play with him. I was trying to find an idea to try to convince him to come with us when Sheldon simply said "Dylan, come on, come downstairs with us, I haven't finished explaining to you the principle of electromagnetism applied to monopoles. We could keep talking while having that snack."

Dylan looked up at Sheldon, apparently very tempted by Sheldon's proposition.

Sheldon went on "Oh please come, and I can also show you the Flash comic books I was talking about. I took a few with me here, I can take them downstairs." I was very impressed as it was not very often that Sheldon showed that much interest in someone; the two of them were definitely getting along, as both Kate and I had hoped they would.

"Alright then, I'm coming." Dylan finally accepted, sighing. "I will take some of my comic books too." He said, getting up and leaving the room.

"Well, well, well Sheldon, it sounds like you've made a new friend…" I said teasingly once Dylan was out of an earshot.

"Yes…. This boy is …. Very interesting…. He reminds me a bit of myself at his age." He said thoughtfully then he grabbed my hand and led me out of the room.

* * *

Once by the pool, Sheldon and I sat on adjoining deckchairs, both fully clothed. Sheldon had brought his Flash comic books and was waiting for Dylan while reading one. Kate and Brian were sitting by the pool in their swimsuits, ready to get in there, while Kevin, Brandon and the nanny were already playing ball games in the water. They tried to convince us to go in there with them but I had no intention of doing so: I am far too modest and self conscious to expose myself that way in front of everyone. And I knew that Sheldon felt the same. But I went to sit by the pool with them and had a little talk with Kate about the scene I had just witnessed in the office. Then Dylan came and sat on the floor next to Sheldon. He had his Stephen Hawking book with him as well as a few comic and Sheldon immediately started talking excitedly about physics. I could see in Kate's eyes that she was both very surprised and delighted. "Amy, it's working" she simply whispered.

We all had a very nice time. The two other boys were playing water polo in the pool with the nanny and Brian. I chatted a little with Kate then she went and played with them as well. Then I went back to my chair, and lay down, listening to Sheldon and Dylan fight over some fictional characters. There was something about Sheldon, in his interactions with Dylan, that I had never seen or heard before,some mixture of indulgence and curiosity. And they were bonding very quickly. At some point, they could not agree on what the best color for a Super Hero was, Dylan defending Superman's blue suit and Sheldon preferring The Flash's red outfit. Sheldon lay down on his chair and turned to me to ask for my opinion. I replied that I preferred Batman's outfit out of all the Super Heroes outfits. Dylan and Sheldon looked at each other and said in unison "Girls!" and started laughing. I should have felt offended by that remark, but I loved their budding complicity, it was very refreshing to see Sheldon like that. And before I could even say anything, Sheldon leant forward and kissed me on the cheek. "Sorry, I did not mean to be rude!" he simply said. Then he sat back up straight and resumed talking to Dylan. I stared at him, stunned; the man who had sworn he would not use any of his weekly public kisses had used them both in less than 6 hours. I loved that, it meant he was feeling comfortable with our hosts and the other guests and was enjoying his weekend so far. And this kiss, contrary to the previous one, was not a kiss to mark his territory; it was a spontaneous kiss because he felt like giving it. I smiled, rolled on my back and closed my eyes, feeling better than ever.

We all had dinner together in the living room, children and adults. Sheldon and Dylan sat next to each other and kept on talking about physics for the whole dinner; Sheldon tried to make him understand the principles of M theory. Brian decided to jump in and Sheldon explained to them the main concepts of string theory and answered their many questions very patiently. Kate and I sat next to Brandon and Kevin and listened to them tell us about their day. From time to time, Kate could not help checking on Dylan; she looked very impressed to see Dylan interact like that with strangers. The children stayed with us for another hour after dinner, then they were all sent to bed. Kate, Brian, Sheldon and I went to the living room, and played Trivial Pursuit together. Needless to say that Sheldon and I won quite easily: what can you do against someone with an eidetic memory? I had warned both Brian and Kate, but they did choose the game and the teams. Actually, I think they wanted to evaluate Sheldon's brain a little before the study started and probably also analyze his interactions with me, his girlfriend. I was not entirely game about it, but I let myself be convinced by Kate, Brian and Sheldon himself who sounded thrilled to team up with me. I don't think he understood what it was really all about, but in the end it was lots of fun.

* * *

"Sheldon, I have something to propose to you and I would like you to keep an open mind." I said when we got back to our bedroom. I sat on the bed and waited for his reaction.

"What is it?" he asked immediately, frowning, standing in front of me.

"Well, just across the hall, there is a bathroom with a Jacuzzi in it…" I did not finish my sentence, preferring to let him finish it himself.

"What…?" He was staring at me then understanding what I meant he simply said "Oh!" He thought for a long time "Amy, I don't know …. The germs…. Besides…"

"Yes, besides….?"

"Besides, I don't think I am ready to… be naked in front of you." He turned red after saying it.

"Oh, no, we would not be naked" I said immediately "we would wear a swimsuit or some underwear. You know, like we would in a swimming pool, except that it'd be just the two of us, in a hot tub."As he was considering it, I added "and if it can make you feel better about germs, we will both have a shower beforehand."

He sat on the bed next to me, thinking about it. Maybe I was once again pushing a little too far too soon, but I definitely felt ready for that, and I thought he would. I might have been wrong. "Sheldon, it is only if you feel like it. I will go anyway, it has been a long day and I need to relax." I placed my hand on his "Come only if you feel like it, really." And I got up and prepared a few towels, my swimsuit and my nightgown.

The bathroom on the other side of the hall was at least three times as big as ours. There was a huge shower on one corner, and first and foremost a large round Jacuzzi tub at the center of the room. After I turned on the tap and checked that the temperature suited me, I began undressing and putting my swimsuit on. I took a quick shower and then I finally climbed inside the tub. I switched on all the jets and lay down, enjoying the moment. It felt so good, so relaxing. Of course, I would have preferred sharing it with Sheldon, but I understood his choice; sharing a bath was a very intimate thing and we were probably not there yet. Some day maybe… I was beginning to totally surrender to that delightful sensation of the hot water bubbling around me when suddenly I heard three knocks on the door, followed by my name. He had chosen to come after all.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. The title of this chapter refers to the scientific term used to describe the tendency of chemical species to combine with certain substances or species in preference to others. It is also the title of a famous book by Goethe based on the metaphor of human relationships being governed or regulated by the laws of chemical affinities. Here, IMO, it can apply both to the encounter between Sheldon and Dylan, but also to the Shamy, and their "made for each other" kind of connection. In the next chapter, we will learn a little more through Sheldon's POV – his connection with Dylan and his feelings on the progress in the relationship with Amy. **

**FYI, I think there are at least ten more chapters to this story, which should lead us to Leonard's homecoming.**


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